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Hydra lands script-integrity and reference-scripts support

PR #2836, 'Script integrity and reference scripts,' merged to master, fixing issue #2594.

Script-integrity handling and reference scripts bear on what smart-contract transactions a Hydra head can process, so builders targeting Hydra L2 should track it.

Limit: The commit title and summary state only 'script integrity and reference scripts' and that it fixes #2594; the source does not detail the feature's scope or place it in a shipped mainnet release, so specific capabilities should not be inferred beyond the title.

Hydra merges Blockfrost query caching to cut redundant chain queries

Hydra merged PR #2835, caching system-start/genesis (fetched once) and querying era history on demand, plus swapping a hand-rolled retry-timeout for the retry package on its Blockfrost backend.

Operators who run Hydra against Blockfrost instead of their own cardano-node make fewer redundant API calls, reducing rate-limit pressure and startup/runtime overhead.

Limit: These are commits to Hydra's master branch, not a tagged mainnet release; there is no throughput, fee, or head-capacity claim here, and it only touches the Blockfrost backend path.

Hydra makes silent node startups visible by tracing the KZG trusted-setup warm-up

PR #2843 traces the warm-up as LoadingTrustedSetup / TrustedSetupLoaded, flushes log entries per batch, and makes a failed setup throw ConfigurationException instead of calling error.

Operators had reported Hydra nodes that looked hung on startup while silently doing crypto work; now the warm-up is observable in docker logs and misconfiguration fails loudly, easing node operations and debugging.

Limit: This is a logging/observability and startup-error-handling change on master; the warm-up itself still runs, and nothing here changes consensus, head throughput, or the mainnet release status.

Ouroboros Leios updates its protocol status

The Leios repo committed an 'Update protocol status' change, the day's only signal from the higher-throughput consensus track.

Leios is the leading throughput-scaling research track; status-doc movement is a low-resolution signal that the track remains active, following recent throughput-ceiling analysis.

Limit: A one-line 'update protocol status' commit asserts nothing about testnet results, timelines, or a mainnet path; the content of the status change is not in the source.

Update: Westinghouse eVinci confirms zero-power criticality (now two sources)

Corroborated by two sources, the microreactor completed cold criticality testing at NCERC on the Nevada National Security Site on 24 August with LANL and INL, validating core-design assumptions; prototyping continues. Previously reported 08-26.

France authorises site preparation for a second pair of EPR2 reactors

The French government cleared EDF to begin site-preparation work for the second proposed EPR2 twin-unit build.

US submits 30-year civil-nuclear "123 agreement" with Saudi Arabia to Congress

The Trump administration sent a draft agreement to Congress on 25 August that would let Saudi Arabia develop civilian nuclear infrastructure, per a New York Times report relayed by the source. It is early in the review process and nonproliferation terms will be the crux.

Netherlands advances reactor-technology selection

The state-owned Nuclear Energy Organisation of the Netherlands awarded design-study contracts to both EDF and Westinghouse for its planned two large new plants.

Niger reassigns the Arlit uranium permit to a new state company

Niger's Council of Ministers awarded a mining permit previously held by Orano to the state-owned firm created this year to replace SOMAÏR.

Update: NECX 2026 day two spotlights startup criticalities and state plans

Aalo Atomics, Antares Nuclear, and Deployable Energy discussed reaching criticality by Executive Order 14301's 4 July target, and officials from Kentucky, New York, and Utah outlined nuclear-expansion plans. Conference opened 08-26.

Pacific Fusion breaks ground on a USD1 billion New Mexico campus

The California-based pulsed-magnetic-fusion developer began construction of its Research and Manufacturing Campus in Albuquerque.

Rosatom and Egypt review El Dabaa and float additional units

The two sides reviewed construction progress at the El Dabaa plant and discussed further large- and small-reactor options.