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As nuclear operators face increasing demands for agility, safety, and cost control, the industry is under pressure to modernize how data is used across the asset lifecycle. Real-time operational intelligence is no longer a luxury—it’s the backbone of grid flexibility.
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Chinese Officials Look at Converting Old Coal Plants to Nuclear Power Stations
A Chinese state-owned energy infrastructure group has proposed a decarbonization plan that would increase the country's use of nuclear power. The China Energy Engineering Group Co. (CEEC) is studying ways to convert retiring coal-fired power facilities into nuclear power plants, according to recent research reports. |
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Framatome Will Maintain, Modernize Bulgarian Nuclear Plant
Framatome has signed a contract for the maintenance and modernization of electrical systems at the two VVER-1000 reactors of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant in Bulgaria. The maintenance work will be coordinated by Framatome EOOD, the Bulgarian subsidiary of Framatome. |
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| What We Are Watching |
Global Nuclear Fleet Achieves Performance Record. The World Nuclear Association’s flagship report, released in early September, revealed that nuclear reactors worldwide generated a record 2,667 TWh of electricity in 2024—an increase of 66 TWh over the previous year—while achieving an all-time high average capacity factor of 83%. Total operable capacity rose to 398 GWe with 440 reactors in service, underscoring continued growth despite global project backlogs. Notably, performance remains robust across all reactor ages, with no decline observed even in units operating for over 40 years. In 2024, nine new reactors commenced construction and seven entered commercial operation across five countries, while four older units were retired. Case studies highlighted pioneering environmental stewardship at China’s Hongyanhe site and innovative heat-and-power cogeneration at the UK’s Sizewell C project. The report concludes with a clarion call: to achieve net-zero and energy security goals, the industry must sustain high fleet performance and accelerate new builds to triple nuclear capacity by 2050.
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IAEA Charts 12-Step Nuclear-Hydrogen Roadmap. The International Atomic Energy Agency in early September published a roadmap charting a 12-step, phase-wise approach to pair nuclear reactors with large-scale, low-carbon hydrogen plants. The guide projects global hydrogen demand will climb from about 70 million tonnes a year today to more than 500 million tonnes by 2070 and outlines safety, regulatory, financing and stakeholder-engagement measures. Case studies from Canada, India and Japan demonstrate how existing and advanced reactors can drive decarbonization in hard-to-abate industries.
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OECD Nuclear Energy Agency: Small Reactors Poised to Phase Out Coal. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency on Sept. 22 reported that small modular reactors could economically replace retiring coal-fired plants, cutting carbon emissions by up to 90% and providing flexible, dispatchable power to complement renewables. The study highlights that SMRs offer faster construction timelines, lower upfront capital requirements and scalable deployment, but warns that supportive regulatory frameworks and innovative financing models will be crucial for widespread adoption.
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