nuclear power

World News

Germany begins powering down its last three nuclear plants

12:43pm April 15, 2023

by The Associated Press

Public pressure, stoked by disasters at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, put pressure on successive German governments to end their use. Germany began winding down the plants Saturday.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, pictured here in October, has operated with emergency power sources six times since Russia's offensive started.

World News

Ukraine's top nuclear plant lost power for the sixth time. Is disaster imminent?

1:37pm March 09, 2023

by Emily Olson

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station was among the Ukrainian structures damaged by a barrage of Russian missiles on Wednesday. Though power has been restored, the threat of nuclear meltdown remains.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen on March 17. Japan on Thursday adopted a new policy promoting greater use of nuclear energy to ensure a stable power supply amid global fuel shortages and reduce carbon emissions — a major reversal of its phaseout plan since the Fukushima crisis.

World News

After the Fukushima disaster, Japan swore to phase out nuclear power. But not anymore

3:29pm December 22, 2022

by The Associated Press

Japan adopted a plan to extend the lifespan of nuclear reactors, replace the old and even build new ones, a major shift in a country scarred by the Fukushima disaster.

The multi-billion dollar National Ignition Facility has used 192 laser beams to create net energy from a tiny pellet of nuclear fuel.

U.S. reaches a fusion power milestone. Will it be enough to save the planet?

12:36pm December 13, 2022

by Geoff Brumfiel

A giant laser facility in Livermore, Calif., says it has created net energy from nuclear fusion. It's an important breakthrough, but fusion power remains a distant dream.

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The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant at the edge of the Pacific ocean in San Luis Obispo, Calif., as seen on March 31, 2015.

National

California lawmakers extend the life of the state's last nuclear power plant

6:30am September 01, 2022

by Nathan Rott

Citing climate change and the need to cut carbon emissions, California is extending the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, arrives in a hotel with a delegation in Zaporizhzia, Ukraine, on Aug. 31. The delegation will travel to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

What inspectors will look for at Ukraine's war-damaged Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

1:56pm August 31, 2022

by Geoff Brumfiel

The international atomic watchdog has been to some of the world's toughest locations, but nothing quite like Europe's largest nuclear power plant in an active war zone.

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Kristin Zaitz, left, and Heather Hoff of Mothers for Nuclear and Kristin's daughter Sasha make their views clear in front of California's state house.

Why even environmentalists are supporting nuclear power today

3:12pm August 30, 2022

by Uri Berliner

Environmentalists advocating for nuclear power have led a push to extend the operating life of Diablo Canyon, California's last nuclear power plant. Japan and Germany consider similar extensions.

A Russian serviceman patrols Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station on May 1. A series of exchanges in recent weeks has made conditions at the plant more dangerous.

Here's just how close the war in Ukraine has come to Europe's largest nuclear plant

3:00pm August 10, 2022

Satellite images and social media analyzed by NPR show attacks have hit structures around the plant, coming dangerously close to causing a nuclear accident.

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant shut down in 2019. Exelon Generation blamed the closure on a lack of state subsidies. Such subsidies are growing amid concerns that such closures abet climate change.

Nuclear power is gaining support after years of decline. But old hurdles remain

10:25am June 30, 2022

by Laura Benshoff

Investment from the government and private sector are changing the trajectory of the aging U.S. nuclear fleet and spurring development of new nuclear technology.

Russian forces returned fire in the direction of the Ukrainian defenders, striking a power line leading to the plant.

Video analysis reveals Russian attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant veered near disaster

11:58am March 11, 2022

An NPR analysis of security footage and photos following the attack on Europe's largest nuclear power plant shows that many of the plant's critical safety systems were in the field of Russian fire.

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