Innovation & Infrastructure

The Department of Energy is not yet sharing specifics about the states underserious consideration for its Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus program,  The DOE program seeks federal-state partnerships to increase the nation’s fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment and waste disposal efforts. The program was announced in January, and in April, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said 28 states […]

A key environmental document and Record of Decision (ROD) issued Thursday by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) clears the way for expanding operations for Sandia National Laboratories over the next 15 years. The “expanded operations alternative” endorsed the NNSA’s final Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement and ROD should allow Sandia to build […]

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said it completed the first phase of its Kansas City Non-Nuclear Expansion Transformation (KC NeXT) at its Kansas City National Security Campus. “In a rapidly changing national security environment, modernizing the enterprise to be more adaptive, agile, responsive, and resilient is more critical than ever before,” […]

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said it completed the first phase of its Kansas City Non-Nuclear Expansion Transformation (KC NeXT) at its Kansas City National Security Campus. “In a rapidly changing national security environment, modernizing the enterprise to be more adaptive, agile, responsive, and resilient is more critical than ever before,” […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recently completed construction at the Pantex Plant’s High Explosives Science and Engineering facility, consolidating 15 Manhattan Project-era facilities, the agency said last week. “The new High Explosives Science and Engineering facility is a landmark achievement, setting an unprecedented standard for high explosives research and development crucial to national security,” […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recently completed construction at the Pantex Plant’s High Explosives Science and Engineering facility, consolidating 15 Manhattan Project-era facilities, the agency said last week. “The new High Explosives Science and Engineering facility is a landmark achievement, setting an unprecedented standard for high explosives research and development crucial to national security,” […]

Bechtel and an organized labor group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to revamp apprenticeship programs supporting nuclear power projects. Bechtel and North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) announced the MOU in a Tuesday press release. The longtime builder of nuclear infrastructure and NABTU, a large confederation of construction unions, will look to modernize […]

Baton Rogue, La.-based Turner Industries has revealed plans to expand two nuclear manufacturing facilities in Louisiana that aim to fabricate reactor parts for advanced reactors, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) announced at an industry summit Tuesday. Turner Industries said in its press release that the two manufacturing facilities will be in New Iberia and Port […]

The Y-12 National Security Complex said in a press release it exceeded its fiscal 2026 lithium metal production goal by a wide margin, achieving 177% of its target. The enriched lithium — used in nuclear weapons applications rather than commercial batteries — will be used in nuclear weapons components in the nation’s stockpile, managed by […]

The Department of Energy’s $8.2 billion budget request for its nuclear cleanup branch would help support everything from artificial intelligence (AI) to new emergency facilities. That is among the tidbits emerging from the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) 437-page budget justification posted online last week. DOE said an initiative, the AI Research and Development […]

Baton Rogue, La.-based Turner Industries has revealed plans to expand two nuclear manufacturing facilities in Louisiana that aim to fabricate reactor parts for advanced reactors, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) announced at an industry summit Tuesday. Turner Industries said in its press release that the two manufacturing facilities will be in New Iberia and Port […]

The Y-12 National Security Complex said in a press release it exceeded its fiscal 2026 lithium metal production goal by a wide margin, achieving 177% of its target. The enriched lithium — used in nuclear weapons applications rather than commercial batteries — will be used in nuclear weapons components in the nation’s stockpile, managed by […]

Sandia National Laboratories is advancing construction of its new Power Sources Capability (PSC) facility, a major infrastructure project supporting the nuclear security mission, the lab said last week. The lab in New Mexico held a ceremony April 14 for the installation of the final beam in the facility, according to a press release.  The roughly […]

Jessica Kunkle is the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) newest acting associate administrator for the Office of Infrastructure, a spokesperson for the agency told Exchange Monitor Thursday. Kunkle will be taking over for Nicole Nelson-Jean, who as of March principal associate administrator of NNSA’s Office of Environment, Safety and Health. The Office of Infrastructure is […]

Jessica Kunkle is the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) newest acting associate administrator for the Office of Infrastructure, a spokesperson for the agency told Exchange Monitor Thursday. Kunkle will be taking over for Nicole Nelson-Jean, who as of March principal associate administrator of NNSA’s Office of Environment, Safety and Health. The Office of Infrastructure is […]

Crews at the Y-12 National Security Complex have completed final concrete placement for a tunnel that will connect major sections of the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF’s) enriched uranium mission. The project—known as the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility Connector (HCON)— is “in the dry,” signifying completion of the tunnel roof, allowing installation of internal systems […]

Crews at the Y-12 National Security Complex have completed final concrete placement for a tunnel that will connect major sections of the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF’s) enriched uranium mission. The project—known as the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility Connector (HCON)— is “in the dry,” signifying completion of the tunnel roof, allowing installation of internal systems […]

The first phase of relocating Department of Energy’s headquarters staff to a new location in Washington, D.C., could get started by the end of 2026, although it might not be finished until early 2028, a source said this week. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told a staff town hall-style meeting Wednesday April 1 the department […]

The first phase of relocating Department of Energy’s headquarters staff to a new location in Washington, D.C., could get started by the end of 2026, although it might not be finished until early 2028, a source said this week. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told a staff town hall-style meeting Wednesday April 1 the department […]

Hadrian Automation on March 20 announced a $2.4 billion public-private partnership with the Navy that will result in three artificial intelligence (AI)-powered factories, with its first facility focused on producing submarine parts within a year. The facilities are aimed at helping produce parts for the Navy’s maritime industrial base, according to a statement by Hadrian. […]

The Department of Energy’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on Wednesday released its final site-wide environmental impact statement and its record of decision to implement an “expanded operations alternative” at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. “Expanded operations” means exactly what it sounds like: all activities at Los Alamos will continue as they […]

The Department of Energy will relocate its Washington, D.C. headquarters from the James V. Forrestal Building to the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) building, which currently houses the Department of Education. That is according to a Thursday announcement from DOE and the General Services Administration. The Education Department, which has undergone significant cuts under the Donald […]

Major construction has concluded on a key security modernization effort at the Y-12 National Security Complex, with federal officials emphasizing cost savings and operational efficiencies tied to a significantly smaller high-security footprint. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said the West End Protected Area Reduction (WEPAR) project achieved full beneficial occupancy on Feb. 24, marking […]

The Department of Energy’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on Wednesday released its final site-wide environmental impact statement and its record of decision to implement an “expanded operations alternative” at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. “Expanded operations” means exactly what it sounds like: all activities at Los Alamos will continue as they […]

The Department of Energy’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on Wednesday released its final site-wide environmental impact statement and its record of decision to implement an “expanded operations alternative” at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. “Expanded operations” means exactly what it sounds like: all activities at Los Alamos will continue as they […]

Hadrian Automation on March 20 announced a $2.4 billion public-private partnership with the Navy that will result in three artificial intelligence (AI)-powered factories, with its first facility focused on producing submarine parts within a year. The facilities are aimed at helping produce parts for the Navy’s maritime industrial base, according to a statement by Hadrian. […]

An hour-long webcast  is now available online from Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony at the Department of Energy’s Portsmouth Site in Ohio for the new energy and artificial intelligence data center. The Donald Trump administration officially announced Friday March 20 that the DOE gaseous diffusion plant site in Piketon, Ohio has been selected for a new multi-billion-dollar […]

AtkinsRéalis and Nvidia are working together to explore integration of the global tech company’s technologies to potentially advance nuclear-powered artificial intelligence (AI) factories. Montreal, Canada-based AtkinsRéalis said in a Monday press release that this collaboration could help it design a three-dimensional “digital twin” of infrastructure prior to real world construction.  With AtkinsRéalis having the exclusive […]

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy has unveiled a new effort to add 2,500 megawatts of nuclear power to the grid by 2027 through uprates to existing plants and restarting some closed reactors. The Utility Power Reactor Incremental Scaling Effort (UPRISE) program aims to bring 2,500 megawatts of additional power by 2027 and […]

The Department of Energy is inviting teams from national laboratories, domestic industry, and universities to submit proposals as part of a $293-million requisition for application (RFA) being issued as part of the Genesis Mission. DOE said in a Tuesday press release it is inviting submissions for “The Genesis Mission: Transforming Science and Energy with AI […]