Archive

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Coverage of new reactor development, small modular reactors, and next-generation nuclear technologies pursuing NRC licensing or DOE demonstration support.

  • Fusion funds increase but commercialization timelines remain unchanged, FIA reports

    The nuclear fusion industry enjoyed a big increase in funding this year, despite most fusion technologies not being ready to deliver commercial electricity until the 2030s, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) said in a report. In the FIA’s 2026 Global Fusion Industry report, published July 13, the non-profit organization said the industry received $4.4 billion […]

  • NRC to discuss the landscape for new reactors

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will host a meeting July 21 at 9 a.m. in Rockville, Md. to discuss the licensing and regulatory needs for advanced reactors with several industry members. The public meeting will be held at the commission hearing room on the first floor of NRC’s headquarters in Rockville. Notably, Department of Energy Assistant […]

  • Constellation to invest in startup Blue Energy

    Blue Energy, a developer of what it calls “prefabricated” nuclear power plants, received a strategic equity investment from Constellation Energy’s venture arm Constellation Technology Ventures, the company said July 16. Blue Energy, founded in 2023, said in a press release that the investment from Constellation shows growing confidence in the company’s strategy to use shipyard […]

  • Round Up: E&W vote not expected until September; Deep Isolation begins trading; NRC grants exemption for Westinghouse’s design certification app

    While there is a “remote” chance the full House of Representatives could vote on the fiscal 2027 Energy & Water Appropriations bill next week, it is more likely that the measure won’t be taken up until September, a key House Appropriator said Wednesday. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn) who chairs the House Appropriations Energy & Water […]

  • X-Energy’s TRISO-X receives Tennessee grant to expand nuclear fuel campus

    X-Energy received $11 million from the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Fund Wednesday to support TRISO-X’s, X-Energy’s subsidiary, tri-structural isotropic – or TRISO fuel fabrication facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The $11 million award comes from the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Fund, also referred to as the Nuclear Energy Supply Chain Investment Fund, which is designed to to […]

  • New Jersey governor signs bill to add 1,100 MW of nuclear power

    The procurement process to add at least 1,100 megawatts of new nuclear energy in the state of New Jersey has begun after Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) signed a bill Monday. The bill, Power NJ Act, creates a competitive bid process by state agencies to analyze proposals to ensure ratepayers get the best value, Sherrill said […]

  • Holtec moves forward with plans to go public

    After a year of floating around the idea of going public, Holtec International officially filed its registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to start the process. The Form S-1, which is required by the SEC for domestic companies to submit to offer public offerings, was on July 10, but has not become […]

  • Holtec moves forward with plans to go public

    After a year of floating around the idea of going public, Holtec International officially filed its registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to start the process. The Form S-1, which is required by the SEC for domestic companies to submit to offer public offerings, was on July 10, but has not become […]

  • New Jersey governor signs bill to add 1,100 MW of nuclear power

    The procurement process to add at least 1,100 megawatts of new nuclear energy in the state of New Jersey has begun after Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) signed a bill Monday. The bill, Power NJ Act, creates a competitive bid process by state agencies to analyze proposals to ensure ratepayers get the best value, Sherrill said […]

  • Publication Notice: Guest column

    On the Exchange Monitor homepage is a guest opinion editorial with in-depth analysis on public-private partnership in fusion research. “Guest Column: Former lab execs on fusion’s promise: Leveraging public-private Partnership for 21st century deterrence” by Paul Hommert, former director of Sandia National Laboratories, and Bob Webster, former deputy lab director at Los Alamos National Laboratory, […]

  • Publication Notice: Guest column

    On the Exchange Monitor homepage is a guest opinion editorial with in-depth analysis on public-private partnership in fusion research. “Guest Column: Former lab execs on fusion’s promise: Leveraging public-private Partnership for 21st century deterrence” by Paul Hommert, former director of Sandia National Laboratories, and Bob Webster, former deputy lab director at Los Alamos National Laboratory, […]

  • Publication Notice: Guest column

    On the Exchange Monitor homepage is a guest opinion editorial with in-depth analysis on public-private partnership in fusion research. “Guest Column: Former lab execs on fusion’s promise: Leveraging public-private Partnership for 21st century deterrence” by Paul Hommert, former director of Sandia National Laboratories, and Bob Webster, former deputy lab director at Los Alamos National Laboratory, […]

  • Round Up: Centrus to join S&P SmallCap 600 Index; Moul joins Standard Nuclear’s board

    Centrus Energy will join the S&P SmallCap 600 Index before markets open July 14, a move the company said reflects its growing role in rebuilding the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain and expanding domestic uranium enrichment capacity. “Our invitation into the S&P SmallCap 600 reflects the progress our team has made and the expanding role […]

  • Guest Column: Former lab execs on fusion’s promise: Leveraging public-private Partnership for 21st century deterrence

    By Paul Hommert and Bob Webster In 1995, facing the end of nuclear testing and uncertain about our ability to maintain the nuclear deterrent without it, the United States made a bold bet.  The Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship Program[1] represented an audacious wager that advanced computing, sophisticated diagnostics, and world-class science could remove the need to […]

  • Aalo becomes 4th test reactor to reach criticality by July 4

    Austin, Texas-based Aalo Atomics’s test reactor Aalo-X reached zero-power criticality over the weekend, making it the fourth reactor to hit this milestone by the July 4 target deadline. The Department of Energy said in a Monday press release that Aalo’s sodium-cooled reactor achieved criticality on Saturday morning at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Aalo previously […]

  • Standard Nuclear moves forward to become a public company

    Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear proposed its initial public offering (IPO) Tuesday just weeks after the company filed its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in mid-June. The advanced nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear said in a Tuesday press release it is launching its “roadshow” for its proposed IPO of 18.25 million shares […]

  • Deep Fission receives major component for underground reactor

    The prototype reactor canister for Deep Fission’s Gravity reactor.arrived at the company’s Parsons, Kan. site on Tuesday, which the company said marks a milestone in its “Proof-of-Concept Well” program and unit’s development  Berkeley, Calif.-based Deep Fission said in a press release the factory-built prototype canister completed fabrication, hydrostatic testing and was delivered to Kansas for […]

  • U.S., Japan, South Korea agree to collaborate on international SMR deployments

    The United States signed a memorandum of cooperation with Japan and South Korea to create a framework between the three to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) in other countries. The initial focus on the countries’ three-way cooperation would initially focus on the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Department of State’s Tuesday press release. The agreement […]

  • Standard Nuclear moves forward to become a public company

    Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear proposed its initial public offering (IPO) Tuesday just weeks after the company filed its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in mid-June. The advanced nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear said in a Tuesday press release it is launching its “roadshow” for its proposed IPO of 18.25 million shares […]

  • Standard Nuclear moves forward to become a public company

    Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear proposed its initial public offering (IPO) Tuesday just weeks after the company filed its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in mid-June. The advanced nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear said in a Tuesday press release it is launching its “roadshow” for its proposed IPO of 18.25 million shares […]

  • U.S., Japan and South Korea agree to collaborate on international SMR deployments

    The United States signed a memorandum of cooperation with Japan and South Korea to create a framework between the three to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) in other countries. The initial focus on the countries’ three-way cooperation would initially focus on the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Department of State’s Tuesday press release. The agreement […]

  • Deep Fission receives major component for underground reactor

    The prototype reactor canister for Deep Fission’s Gravity reactor arrived at the company’s Parsons, Kan. site on Tuesday, which the company said marks a milestone in its “Proof-of-Concept Well” program and development of its Gravity reactor. Berkeley, Calif.-based Deep Fission said in a press release the factory-built prototype canister completed fabrication, hydrostatic testing and was […]

  • Aalo becomes 4th test reactor to reach criticality by July 4

    Austin, Texas-based Aalo Atomics’s test reactor Aalo-X reached zero-power criticality over the weekend, making it the fourth reactor to hit this milestone by the July 4 target deadline. The Department of Energy said in a Monday press release that Aalo’s sodium-cooled reactor achieved criticality on Saturday morning at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Aalo previously […]

  • Arizona utilities launch nuclear siting study

    Arizona Public Service and two other Arizona-based utilities have begun their preliminary siting study to explore opportunities for additional nuclear power in Arizona. The study will use a phased screening methodology to narrow down potential locations in the state to a short list, Arizona Public Service said in a June 24 press release. The siting […]

  • Arizona utilities start conducting nuclear siting study

    Arizona Public Service and two other Arizona-based utilities have begun their preliminary siting study that would explore opportunities for additional nuclear power in Arizona. The study will use a phased screening methodology to narrow down locations in the state to a short list of possible sites and soon to the selection of a preferred site, […]

  • Canada unveils new national nuclear strategy

    The Canadian government released its first-ever national nuclear strategy this week that aims to bolster the country’s nuclear lifecycle capabilities and ensure the nation is an industry leader. . The Nuclear Energy Strategy, published Monday, was initially announced at the Canadian Nuclear Association Conference in Ottawa that took place from April 28-30 by Canada’s Minister […]

  • Aalo Atomics could reach criticality within days, EnergySec says

    A third advanced reactor is expected to hit criticality in coming days and beat the July 4 deadline, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at a Thursday event held near the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Last year, DOE, under Executive Order 14301, established a reactor pilot program with the goal of having at […]

  • DOE makes third round of awards under GAIN program for fiscal 2026

    The Department of Energy has revealed its third round of selections for its Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear’s (GAIN) energy voucher program in fiscal 2026. According to DOE GAIN’s Wednesday press release, the recipients are: Aalo Atomics, based in Austin, Texas. OrganiCore Nuclear, based in New York, N.Y. Raven-Flint Nuclear Corp., based in Idaho […]

  • AtkinsRéalis begins licensing process with NRC for CANDU reactors

    Montreal, Canada-based AtkinsRéalis submitted a notice of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wednesday, starting the licensing process for the Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactor in the United States. This submission initiates the formal pre-application engagement with NRC and is part of AtkinsRéalis’ strategy to expand into the U.S. market with large-scale reactor technology that […]

  • Fusion supply chain investment is up, but hurdles still ahead

    Fusion supply chain spending has increased in 2025, but a large majority of suppliers say investment is hard to come by, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) reported. In FIA’s Fusion Industry Supply Chain 2026 report, published Tuesday, supply chain spending in the fusion industry increased by 24% to a total of $538 million in 2025. […]