In Germany, where nuclear power has long been a thorny political issue, operators are much less enthusiastic, despite talks of a nuclear restart surfacing in the wake of the German coalition government's recent collapse.

Three project 22220 icebreakers have already been built and are now operating in the Arctic – Arctic, Siberia and Ural. Construction of icebreakers Yakutia and Leningrad is now underway and a contract for the construction of Stalingrad has been signed.

The latest move targets a particularly vulnerable US link in the nuclear fuel cycle. Russia controls almost half the world’s capacity to separate the uranium isotopes needed in reactors, and last year supplied more than a quarter of the US’s enriched fuel.

Over the longer term, the Government had proposed to the relevant authorities to restart nuclear power projects and robust development of offshore wind energy.

“Since the decision has been made by the National Energy Council and endorsed by the Cabinet, nuclear energy is likely to be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) as one of the country’s official energy sources,” Rafizi told reporters after the National OGSE (Oil & Gas, Services & Equipment) Blueprint Forum 2024 in Kuala Lumpur.

The IAEA has redesignated Rosatom Technical Academy (Rosatom Tech) as an IAEA Collaborating Centre, signing a new four-year agreement that expands the scope of their collaboration during the recent IAEA International Conference on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and their Applications.

By 2026, the independent innovation capability of China’s nuclear technology application industry will be significantly enhanced, and the industrial field will be further expanded, according to the plan.

The partners studied the feasibility of an electric nuclear propulsion (NEP) system where the electricity produced by a nuclear power reactor powers electric ion thrusters - ionising a gas and accelerating the ions produced, which are then ejected to generate thrust.

The new cooperation creates prospects for implementing joint projects in uranium exploration and mining in Mongolia, allowing both parties to strengthen their positions in the uranium industry, Kazatomprom said.

Thales, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of plasma heating systems, is the only European manufacturer of Gyrotron electronic tubes at its Munich operation.