Global Innovators Honoured for Transforming Nuclear Power Sustainability at IAEA Awards

At the second International Network on Innovation to Support Operating Nuclear Power Plants (ISOP) Innovation Awards, held on the sidelines of the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, five pioneering teams from around the world were recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to nuclear power sustainability. The awards celebrate deployed innovations that enhance the safety, efficiency, and longevity of nuclear power plants — a crucial step in ensuring that nuclear energy continues to play a vital role in a clean and secure global energy future.

Selected from 32 submissions across 10 countries, the winning teams represented the very best in applied nuclear innovation across categories such as artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, instrumentation and control, and digitalization.

“Today’s award recipients exemplify the spirit of innovation,” said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy. “They have demonstrated creativity, technical excellence and a commitment to improving nuclear safety and performance.”

ISOP: Driving Collaboration and Sustainability in Nuclear Operations

Established in 2023, the International Network on Innovation to Support Operating Nuclear Power Plants (ISOP) is a global IAEA-led platform that promotes cross-border collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement in nuclear technology.

ISOP’s mission is to support the long-term sustainability of operating nuclear power reactors by identifying, sharing, and deploying innovative technologies. Through technical workshops, reports, use-case sharing, and research coordination, ISOP helps member organizations adopt proven innovations that enhance reactor performance, environmental safety, and economic viability.

Recognizing Excellence Across Five Key Innovation Areas

This year’s awards reflected the diversity of innovation happening across the global nuclear sector — from digital twins and robotics to AI-driven operational optimization. Below are the five winning innovations:

Advanced Instrumentation and Control – China Nuclear Power Engineering (CNPE)

The CNPE Innovation Centre team from China earned top honours in the Advanced Instrumentation and Control category for its reactor containment structure monitoring technology. This system employs fibre optic sensors to deliver real-time, intelligent monitoring of the steel strands embedded within containment structures — a critical safety component of nuclear reactors.

By detecting early structural stress changes, the technology enhances predictive maintenance and reduces risk.

“We are deeply honoured by this recognition and remain committed to advancing intelligent monitoring technology for an even safer and more sustainable future in nuclear containment,” said Yao Di, Director of CNPE’s Innovation Centre.

Advanced Manufacturing – Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel (United States)

In the Advanced Manufacturing category, Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel took the award for its additively manufactured debris filter for boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies. Using 3D printing, the team created a design with geometric complexity unattainable through traditional manufacturing, significantly improving reactor operating efficiency and debris mitigation.

“The additive manufacturing process opened a whole new world of design options and inspired creative thinking in my team,” said Uffe Bergmann, Chief Engineer at Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel. “Our StrongHold Asset Management fuel debris filter improves the operating efficiency of boiling water reactors across the fleet.”

This innovation showcases how advanced manufacturing techniques can modernize reactor components, enhance performance, and extend plant lifespans.

Other Significant Innovations – Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC, UAE)

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) won for its use of digital twin technology — a sophisticated virtual model of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. This digital environment enables advanced training, simulation, and operational planning, allowing plant personnel to explore real-time scenarios safely and cost-effectively.

The digital twin supports outage planning, reactor management, and technical troubleshooting, improving operational reliability and workforce development.

“ENEC leverages digital twin and simulator technology to modernize nuclear training,” explained Abdulrahman Al Jailani, Director of Strategy and Digitalization at ENEC. “It aligns with the expectations of tech-savvy learners for immersive, visual, and self-guided learning experiences.”

Robotics and Drones – University of Bristol (United Kingdom)

A team from the University of Bristol’s Interface Analysis Centre received the Robotics and Drones Award for its wheeled robot equipped with a Raman spectroscopy probe. This mobile robot performs in-core graphite measurements inside reactor environments, collecting real-time, high-precision data while minimizing human exposure to radiation.

“There’s a huge opportunity to harness robotics and advanced sensors to enhance operational efficiency, tackle difficult tasks and improve safety,” said Tom Scott, Head of the Hot Robotics Facility. “It’s great to have our robotics work recognized by the IAEA—it’s a step toward making robotic systems commonplace in nuclear plant operations.”

This innovation underscores how autonomous robotics can revolutionize maintenance, inspection, and decommissioning tasks, improving both safety and cost-efficiency.

Artificial Intelligence – Blue Wave AI Labs (United States)

Blue Wave AI Labs won in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) category for developing an AI model that predicts thermal limit parameters during reactor operation. Leveraging vast operational datasets, their Nuclear-Grade AI™ system helps operators optimize fuel performance, operational margins, and efficiency, while maintaining safety limits.

“We are proud that Nuclear-Grade AI™ was selected for the 2025 AI Award,” said Jonathan Nistory, Chief Operating Officer at Blue Wave AI Labs. “Our collaboration with partners like Constellation and Southern Nuclear shows how AI can bring tangible operational benefits to nuclear fleets.”

AI innovations like this promise to reshape reactor optimization and predictive maintenance, aligning nuclear energy with the broader digital transformation of the energy sector.

Fostering Global Innovation and Knowledge Sharing

The ISOP Awards not only highlight technical excellence but also foster a spirit of collaboration among nuclear operators, research institutions, and technology developers. Earlier this year, the IAEA hosted a webinar series featuring many of the 2024 submissions, giving teams a platform to present their work and share lessons learned with the international community.

These knowledge-sharing initiatives reinforce the IAEA’s mission to support sustainable, safe, and economically competitive nuclear power, particularly as countries expand or extend their nuclear fleets in response to climate change and energy security challenges.

“ISOP embodies the essence of cooperation,” said an IAEA spokesperson. “By connecting innovators, operators, and regulators, we are building a global community dedicated to enhancing nuclear plant sustainability through innovation.”

Looking Ahead: Innovation as the Future of Nuclear

As the world transitions toward low-carbon energy systems, nuclear power’s role as a reliable, emission-free baseload source is gaining renewed importance. Sustaining and upgrading existing plants through cutting-edge technologies like AI, robotics, and advanced materials is essential to ensuring that nuclear remains a cornerstone of future energy systems.

The ISOP Awards showcase how innovation in action is already driving that transformation—helping extend plant lifespans, reduce operational costs, and strengthen safety across the global nuclear fleet.