Nuclear sector advances with Rooppur criticality, Urenco expansion and US space pact

· Energy · Bangladesh · United States

Several nuclear developments moved forward. Bangladesh's Rooppur 1 achieved criticality, a self-sustaining nuclear reaction, at 15:34 on Sunday, 11 October, a key milestone for the country's first nuclear power plant. In the US, the start of production in the sixth cascade of new uranium enrichment capacity at Urenco USA's National Enrichment Facility in New Mexico means 75% of its ongoing capacity expansion is completed. NASA and the US Department of Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a framework for collaboration across space nuclear development. Separately, South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction tested equipment it developed to excavate a full-scale deposition hole for used nuclear fuel disposal.

Why it matters：These milestones span new reactor startups, enrichment capacity and waste disposal, key bottlenecks for a global nuclear revival driven by energy security and decarbonization.

Key points

  • Bangladesh's Rooppur 1 achieved criticality at 15:34 on Sunday, 11 October.
  • Urenco USA's sixth new enrichment cascade means 75% of its expansion is complete.
  • NASA and the DOE signed an MOU on space nuclear development; Hyundai E&C tested used fuel disposal excavation equipment.

Sources (original reporting)

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