☢️ China expands world’s 1st 4th-gen nuclear plant, US scientists develop record-breaking EV charger, Russia threatens to restart mid-range nuke production to answer US missiles in Europe

China has initiated expanding the world’s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant, the Shidaowan high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) nuclear power plant, in eastern China’s Shandong Province.

The project, for which China owns fully independent intellectual property rights, is located in Rongcheng County, Weihai City. China Huaneng Group, Tsinghua University, and China National Nuclear Corporation jointly developed it.

Equipped with the world’s first high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, the fourth-generation reactor, the plant went into commercial operation last December. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

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☢️ World’s 1st fourth-gen nuclear plant expanded, will make 35 billion kWh yearly

Zhang Aijun, vice president of the HTGR Nuclear Power Company, Ltd, told China Media Group (CMG) that the first phase of the expansion project is to install another domestically developed third-generation pressurized water reactor, Hualong One, which will operate with the gas-cooled one.

“The first phase of the expansion project includes two units of Hualong One, our domestically developed third-generation nuclear reactors with independent intellectual property rights, each with a capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts,” Zhang said.

“Upon completion, the plant is expected to generate 20 billion kilowatt-hours per year and increase heating supply area by 20 million square meters to benefit 600,000 local residents.”

⚡️ World record-breaking wireless EV charger delivers 270 kilowatts of power: US

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have successfully demonstrated the first 270-kW wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging technology.

A team at the Department of Energy’s institution had earlier set a record for wireless EV charging with its demonstration of a 100 kW charger in March.

The demonstration was done in partnership with the Volkswagen Group with the the wireless power transfer of 270 kW being showcased on a Porsche Taycan EV.

✈️ Putin vows vengeance: Mid-range nuclear weapons to answer US missiles in Europe

Only one month after making a similar statement, Russian Premier Vladimir Putin has once again threatened to restart intermediate-range nuke (IRN) missile production. This latest threat comes after news that the United States has reaffirmed its intention to deploy nuclear missiles to Germany and other European allies.

“If the United States carries out such plans, we will consider ourselves liberated from the unilateral moratorium previously adopted on the deployment of medium- and short-range strike capabilities,” Putin said during a naval parade in St. Petersburg.

“The development of a number of such systems is in the final stages,” added Putin. “We will take mirror measures in deploying them, taking into account the actions of the U.S., its satellites in Europe, and in other regions of the world,” he warned.

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