• Nuclear Energy Weekly Digest
  • Week 2 (January 5–11, 2026)
  • US Department of Energy Invests $2.7 Billion in Domestic Uranium Enrichment Capacity
  • China Achieves Commercial Operation of Zhangzhou Unit 2 Pressurised Water Reactor
  • US and Kazakhstan Establish SMR Deployment Initiatives Through FIRST Programme
  • Japan’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6 Advances Toward January Startup
  • Poland Extends Engineering Development Agreement with Westinghouse-Bechtel Consortium
  • Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Approaches First Unit Commissioning
  • US House Committee Convenes Hearing on Nuclear’s Role in Energy Future
  • Reactor Pilot Program Companies Finalise OTAs and Advance Toward July 4 Criticality Deadline
  • Outlook for Remaining 2026 Nuclear Milestones
  • References
  • Sources

§Nuclear Energy Weekly Digest

§Week 2 (January 5–11, 2026)

§US Department of Energy Invests $2.7 Billion in Domestic Uranium Enrichment Capacity

The United States Department of Energy announced USD 2.7 billion in contracts on January 5, 2026, to three domestic fuel enrichment companies—selected through a competitive process—to establish independent capacity for producing enriched uranium fuel required by both conventional nuclear reactors and next-generation advanced reactor designs currently in development.[5][6][7] The investment addresses critical vulnerabilities in the American nuclear fuel supply chain, which comprises four distinct steps: uranium mining, conversion to gaseous form, enrichment to increase fissile uranium-235 concentration, and fabrication of fuel pellets and assemblies.[5][7]

A Stanford University-led industry assessment published in Nature Energy identified uranium conversion as potentially the most critical “pinch-point” in the international fuel supply chain, with only five facilities worldwide converting mined uranium on large scales into the gas necessary for enrichment.[5][7] Conversion markets have experienced severe turbulence in recent years, with price fluctuations forcing Western facilities into shutdown and restart cycles that have depleted strategic stockpiles of converted uranium gas.[5][7] Without sustained long-term contracts, conversion company executives expressed reluctance to expand capacity to meet future demand from both existing reactors and the expanding fleet of advanced reactors now entering commercial deployment phases.[5][7]

The Trump administration’s uranium enrichment funding pursues enrichment capacity for conventional Light Water Reactor fuel and separately supports development of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel, which contains uranium enriched to 5–20 percent fissile concentration—approximately five times higher than conventional reactor fuel.[5][7][8] HALEU fuels enable next-generation reactors to operate at higher temperatures, improve thermal efficiency, reduce waste generation, and extend fuel residence periods before refueling requirements.[5][7][8] Advanced reactors using HALEU fuel are being deployed at remote locations, military bases, data centres, and industrial facilities unable to support the infrastructure requirements of traditional nuclear plants.[5][7][8] Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated the administration is “committed to restoring a secure domestic nuclear fuel supply chain capable of producing the nuclear fuels needed to power the reactors of today and the advanced reactors of tomorrow.”[5]

However, analysts emphasise that sustained domestic enrichment capacity development requires reducing technological, economic, and policy uncertainty throughout the supply chain through strategic international partnerships, global fuel standard coordination, and rigorous enforcement of geopolitical policies including the American ban on enriched uranium originating from Russia.[5][7] The ban’s durability and exemption waivers remain subjects of investor concern, with some observers noting that China could potentially circumvent the restriction through “flag swapping” mechanisms involving Russian uranium, creating market uncertainty that complicates capital investment decisions for enrichment capacity expansion.[5]

§China Achieves Commercial Operation of Zhangzhou Unit 2 Pressurised Water Reactor

China National Nuclear Corporation’s Zhangzhou nuclear power plant Unit 2 entered commercial operation on January 1, 2026, with the 1,126 MWe domestically-designed pressurised water reactor completing a comprehensive 168-hour test run and a series of commissioning evaluations.[2][1] The milestone marks completion of the first development phase of the six-unit Zhangzhou complex, a joint venture between CNNC (51 percent ownership) and China Guodian Corporation (49 percent), located in Fujian Province in southern China.[2][1]

Unit 1 of the Zhangzhou facility commenced commercial operation on January 1, 2025, establishing the first Hualong One reactor deployment at the site, which represents the world’s largest Hualong One nuclear power base with six reactors ultimately planned.[2][1] Fuel loading for Unit 2 began on October 11, 2025, with the reactor achieving first criticality on November 3 and grid connection on November 22, 2025, completing all necessary prerequisite steps for commercial operation designation.[2][1] Units 3 and 4 are currently under civil construction and major equipment installation, while preliminary work for Units 5 and 6 continues, with the complete six-unit facility expected to generate over 60 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually upon completion.[2][1]

The Zhangzhou project advances China’s dual carbon goals by establishing a leading domestic nuclear technology deployment platform, with the six-unit complex projected to satisfy approximately 75 percent of combined electricity consumption across Xiamen and Zhangzhou cities in the region.[2][1] The commercial operation of Unit 2 increased CNNC’s portfolio of operating reactors under company control to 27 units, with installed capacity expanding from 25,000 MWe to 26,212 MWe, reflecting the company’s position as the leading nuclear operator within China’s state-controlled nuclear sector.[2][1]

§US and Kazakhstan Establish SMR Deployment Initiatives Through FIRST Programme

The United States Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan announced two new civil nuclear cooperation initiatives in December 2025, positioning Kazakhstan as the first Central Asian country participating in the State Department’s Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) programme, launched in 2021 to support responsible global SMR deployment.[9][10][11][12]

The first initiative provides for installation of a classroom-based SMR simulator at the Kazakhstan Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty, supplied by United States companies Holtec International and WSC Inc. (a simulation technology company operating as a Curtiss-Wright subsidiary).[10][11][12] The simulator will serve as a regional training hub supporting safe and secure SMR deployment throughout Central Asia by developing qualified operators and technicians trained in reactor operations, safety system management, and emergency response protocols aligned with international nuclear security and nonproliferation standards.[10][11][12]

The second initiative comprises an SMR feasibility study conducted under FIRST in partnership with American engineering firm Sargent & Lundy, designed to “identify a shortlist of U.S. SMR options suitable for deployment at potential sites in Kazakhstan.”[10][12] The assessment will examine grid integration requirements, candidate siting locations, cooling system configurations, construction timelines, and economic feasibility across multiple U.S. SMR designs, providing Kazakhstan with technical foundations for future decisions regarding reactor technology selection and deployment strategies.[10][11][12]

Kazakhstan’s SMR initiatives with the United States represent strategic diversification of the nation’s nuclear portfolio beyond large-scale reactor cooperation with Russia and China, where Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation are constructing large VVER-1200 and VVER-1000 reactors respectively under agreements signed in 2025 for mid-2030s operational commencement.[10][11][12] Some observers suggest that SMR initiatives may reflect Kazakh government concerns regarding the feasibility of Russia’s Rosatom meeting projected timelines for large reactor construction, particularly given international sanctions and resource constraints affecting Rosatom’s operational capabilities.[10] President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s strategic objectives to develop artificial intelligence data centres and expand electricity-generating capacity may create demand profiles where distributed SMR deployment offers complementary advantages compared to large centralised reactors.[10][12]

§Japan’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6 Advances Toward January Startup

Tokyo Electric Power Company submitted its pre-operational confirmation modification application to Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on December 24, 2025, establishing official targets for Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6 operations commencing on January 20, 2026, with commercial operation beginning on February 26, 2026, subject to final NRA inspection and safety validation.[13][14][15] The submission coincided with Niigata Prefecture Assembly approval of reactor restart on December 22, 2025, formally removing the final major administrative obstacle to reactor reactivation.[16]

Unit 6, with rated capacity of 1,356–1,360 MWe, represents the largest unit at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex and would mark TEPCO’s first reactor restart since the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster that triggered national shutdown of 54 reactors and precipitated Japan’s near-complete nuclear moratorium.[13][14][16] Fuel loading for Unit 6 was completed in June 2025, positioning the reactor for final inspections and system integrity validation during the test phase scheduled for the four-week period between startup and commercial operation commencement.[13][14][15]

The restart would add approximately 1,360 MW of nuclear generation capacity to Tokyo region’s electricity supply, enhancing reserve margin by approximately 2 percent and supporting regional electricity security.[13] TEPCO simultaneously submitted regulatory applications for Unit 7, which shares certain systems with Unit 6 and must remain operational to support Unit 6 commissioning activities, though Unit 7 cannot independently operate until August 2029 due to anti-terrorism facility upgrade deadlines.[13][14][15] Unit 6 restart also enables TEPCO to proceed with decommissioning of the facility’s five oldest reactors (Units 1–5), collectively reducing the plant’s exposure to seismic vulnerability and component ageing risks affecting reactors designed in the 1970s and 1980s.[13][14]

§Poland Extends Engineering Development Agreement with Westinghouse-Bechtel Consortium

Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ), Poland’s state-owned nuclear project company, signed an amendment to its Engineering Development Agreement with Westinghouse-Bechtel on December 29, 2025, enabling continued design work, advanced geological surveys, and preparatory site activities for Poland’s first nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Pomerania.[17][18][19] The amendment incorporates certain engineering activities originally planned for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract phase, accelerating preliminary work to prevent schedule delays while negotiations with the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium continue regarding the comprehensive EPC agreement.[17][18][19]

PEJ received PLN 4.6 billion (USD 1.27 billion) in state treasury bonds on December 30, 2025, representing capital increase funding approved by the European Commission in early December and designated for preparatory activities, technical studies, and internal site infrastructure development.[17][18] The Polish government commits PLN 60.2 billion (USD 16.7 billion) in public funding for the project through 2030, with additional financing anticipated from international export credit agencies including the United States Export-Import Bank.[17][18] The revised engineering agreement covers design of nuclear and turbine islands, balance-of-plant systems, and comprehensive in-depth geological survey campaigns encompassing more than 1,000 geotechnical drilling locations extending 15 kilometres total depth and 7,000 laboratory tests to characterise subsurface conditions and foundation properties.[17][18][19]

Initial earthworks are scheduled for the first half of 2026, with the site-specific design for three AP1000 reactors targeted for completion during the extended agreement period.[17][18][19] The target date for commercial operation of the first reactor remains established at 2033, with PEJ preparing required documentation for regulatory permits authorising construction commencement.[17][18][19] Bechtel Polska President Leszek Hołda stated that the amendment “paves the way for the launch of the next stage of geotechnical surveys in 2026,” with procurement activities commencing for long-lead items—equipment components with extended manufacturing timelines—to maintain project schedules.[19]

§Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Approaches First Unit Commissioning

Akkuyu nuclear power plant, Turkey’s first nuclear facility under construction by Rosatom subsidiary Akkuyu Nuclear JSC on the Mediterranean coast near Mersin, advanced commissioning preparation with 95 percent construction completion on Unit 1 and anticipation that the first reactor will generate electricity for grid supply in 2026.[20][21][22] Akkuyu Nuclear JSC Chairman Anton Dedusenko reported that main structural elements are complete and major equipment has been installed at the first unit, with installation works continuing simultaneously across all four units.[20][21]

Critical systems including gas-insulated switchgear and diesel generators have been tested and confirmed operational, establishing technical readiness for the commissioning phase.[20][21] The project addressed a significant equipment supply disruption in 2022–2025, when German manufacturer Siemens Energy withheld supply of essential gas-insulated switchgear systems due to Western sanctions responding to Russia’s Ukraine invasion.[20][21] Rosatom and Turkish authorities rapidly developed alternative solutions through partnership with Chinese manufacturers, successfully sourcing equivalent gas-insulated switchgear and installing the system for Unit 1 in 2025, with successful testing and grid energisation confirming technical compatibility with Turkey’s electricity network.[20][21]

The USD 20 billion Akkuyu project represents one of Turkey’s largest direct foreign investments, with construction and supply activities engaging approximately 2,000 Turkish companies and generating estimated economic impact of USD 11 billion through local content, employment, and tax revenues.[20][21] The four 1,200 MWe VVER-1200 reactors will collectively deliver 4.8 GW of capacity, generating approximately 10 percent of Turkey’s national electricity supply upon full operational status.[20][21] The project is expected to provide important demonstration of nuclear energy’s role in Turkey’s energy security strategy and will feature prominently as a success demonstration during COP31 climate negotiations scheduled for late 2026 in Turkey.[20][21]

§US House Committee Convenes Hearing on Nuclear’s Role in Energy Future

The United States House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held its first hearing of 2026 on January 7, titled “American Energy Dominance: Dawn of the New Nuclear Era,” bringing together lawmakers from both parties and industry leaders to discuss nuclear energy’s essential role in meeting surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence deployment, data centre expansion, advanced manufacturing, and national security requirements.[3][23]

Committee Chair Rep. Bob Latta (R., Ohio) emphasised that “the importance of successful growth of the American nuclear energy cannot be understated,” and Rep. Mariette Miller-Meeks (R., Iowa) reframed the policy question stating “the question before us no longer is whether America needs nuclear energy, but how quickly we can deploy it.”[23] Witnesses including Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, identified six congressional priorities for advancing nuclear deployment: regulatory modernisation, financial risk mitigation, fuel supply chain rebuilding, waste management strategy, workforce development readiness, and global competitiveness preservation against China and Russia.[23]

John Wagner, director of Idaho National Laboratory, characterised the current moment as an “unprecedented inflection point” for nuclear energy, with rare alignment of market demand, national security priorities, and policy support, warning that “decades of limited deployment have ceded global leadership to China and Russia.”[23] Judi Greenwald, president and CEO of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, underscored the importance of Nuclear Regulatory Commission independence and transparency, arguing that “public trust is essential for scaling nuclear energy” and calling for Congress to ensure adequate regulatory staffing while implementing the ADVANCE Act modernisation programme.[23] Witnesses and committee members achieved broad consensus that electricity demand is rising at unprecedented rates and that nuclear energy must constitute a central component of America’s energy future meeting these requirements.[23]

§Reactor Pilot Program Companies Finalise OTAs and Advance Toward July 4 Criticality Deadline

The United States Department of Energy finalised two additional Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) during the first week of January 2026 with advanced reactor companies Terrestrial Energy and Oklo, both participating in the Trump administration’s Reactor Pilot Program targeting demonstration reactor criticality achievement by July 4, 2026.[24] Terrestrial Energy’s TETRA proposal involves a proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor technology with thermal output of 822 MWth and electrical generation capacity of 390 MWe, designed for industrial heat applications and advanced electricity generation at higher operational temperatures than conventional reactors.[25] The programme encompasses 11 selected companies, with each responsible for all costs associated with design, manufacturing, construction, operation, and decommissioning of pilot test reactors under accelerated regulatory pathways established through the Atomic Energy Act.[25][24]

Deep Fission, another Reactor Pilot Program participant, selected the Great Plains Industrial Park in Parsons, Kansas, as the site for its underground reactor demonstration project, with groundbreaking ceremonies conducted on December 9, 2025, and plans to achieve reactor criticality by July 4, 2026.[26][27][28] Deep Fission’s Gravity Nuclear Reactor design places 1-megawatt pressurised water reactors one mile underground, with the pilot demonstration designed to prove technological feasibility prior to transitioning toward full-scale commercial projects generating 15 megawatts capacity.[26][27][29] The company has signed a letter of intent with the Great Plains Development Authority establishing collaborative frameworks for both the pilot demonstration and subsequent commercial development at the same Kansas facility, with letters of intent filed for approximately 12.5 GW of potential future capacity across three candidate sites in Kansas, Texas, and Utah.[26][27][30]

§Outlook for Remaining 2026 Nuclear Milestones

Industry assessments identify additional significant nuclear milestones anticipated during 2026 beyond those achieved in week 2. Bangladesh’s Rooppur Unit 1 is expected to commence power generation between March and April 2026 following fuel loading initiated in early February. Turkey’s Akkuyu Unit 1 is projected to achieve grid connection during 2026, with full commercial operation anticipated before COP31 climate negotiations in Turkey. Hungary’s Paks II expansion project is expected to reach first concrete pouring during the first half of 2026. Finland’s Onkalo spent fuel repository is targeted to commence operational status, representing a global first in permanent deep geological repository licensing and commissioning. Approximately 15 new reactor units are anticipated to enter operations globally during 2026, adding roughly 12 GW of nuclear generation capacity compared to 2025’s modest two-reactor commencement and seven-unit decommissioning.[4]

§References

[1] Chinese Reactor Enters Commercial Operation ()

[2] Zhangzhou Unit 2 Commercial Operation Details ()

[3] From Capitol Hill: Nuclear is Back, Critical for America’s Energy Future ()

[4] In Quotes: What to Watch Out for in 2026 ()

[5] For U.S. Nuclear Energy Future, Fuel Supply Cannot Be Overlooked ()

[6] Energy Department Makes $2.7 Billion Bet on Nuclear Reactor Fuel Supply Chain ()

[7] U.S. Invests in Domestic Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Capacity ()

[9] U.S. and Kazakhstan Launch Initiatives to Facilitate SMR Deployment ()

[25] US Taps 11 Firms to Fast-Track Advanced Nuclear Reactor Projects ()

[23] From Capitol Hill: Nuclear is Back ()

[24] DOE Signs Two More OTAs in Reactor Pilot Program ()

[8] Energy Department Makes $2.7 Billion Bet on Nuclear Reactor Fuel ()

[13] TEPCO Plans to Restart Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6 in January 2026 ()

[17] Poland Extends Agreement With Westinghouse and Bechtel ()

[20] Turkey’s First Akkuyu Nuclear Reactor Readied for 2026 Commissioning ()

[14] Tepco to Restart Kashiwazaki-Kariwa No.6 Reactor in January ()

[18] PEJ Amends AP1000 EDA ()

[21] Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Moves Toward First Commissioning Phase ()

[16] Restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Reactors Approved by Regional Assembly ()

[19] Agreement Extension Enables Continued Development of Polish Plant ()

[22] Work on First Unit of Akkuyu NPP 95% Complete ()

[10] U.S. and Kazakhstan Launch Initiatives to Facilitate SMR Deployment ()

[26] Great Plains Development Authority Signs Solar Project Agreement ()

[11] Kazakhstan, US Deepen Civil Nuclear Cooperation ()

[27] Deep Fission Announces Site for Underground Reactor Demo ()

[12] U.S. and Kazakhstan Expand Civil Nuclear Cooperation ()

[28] Kansas Site Selected for Underground Reactor Demo ()

[29] Deep Fission Chooses Great Plains Industrial Park ()

[30] Deep Fission to Break Ground This Week ()

§Sources

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