Reactor Licensing & Regulation

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on Fermi America’s draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for Units 1 – 4 of its Project Matador based in Carson County, Texas. Comments for the draft EIS for the Texas project are due by Nov. 23. According to NRC’s Oct. 9 Federal Register notice, the agency staff […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has received the first part of Blue Energy’s construction permit application to build a BWRX-300 small modular reactor in Texas, NRC said last week. According to NRC’s Oct. 8 Federal Register notice, Blue Energy filed the application on Sept. 15, with a limited work authorization to perform certain early construction work […]

If you are in the mood to travel back in time more than a half century and watch government-made black-and-white films designed to make the public feel better about nuclear technology, the Department of Energy can fill that need online. DOE’s Office of Legacy Management recently announced it is offering films from the Atomic Energy […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) a construction permit Tuesday for its Clinch River Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project in Oak Ridge, Tenn. TVA’s Clinch River SMR becomes the second domestic SMR project to receive a construction permit, after TerraPower received the first one in March for its Natrium reactor in […]

The growing interest in building more nuclear power across the United States calls for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build up its workforce to meet the incoming workload, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report this week. Over the past couple of years, nuclear power has gained bipartisan support on Capitol Hill and […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted certain authorities to oversee radioactive materials to the state of Indiana, making it the 41st NRC agreement state. NRC Chair Ho Nieh and Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) signed the agreement Thursday in Indianapolis, according to NRC’s press release. Under the agreement, Indiana will manage over 200 licenses that use […]

Senate and House Democratic appropriators seek more clarity from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Chair Ho Nieh on the recent overarching changes at the agency initiated by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14300. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), respective ranking members of the Senate and House Energy and Water Development Appropriations subcommittees, […]

Senate and House Democratic appropriators seek more clarity from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Chair Ho Nieh on the recent overarching changes at the agency initiated by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14300. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), respective ranking members of the Senate and House Energy and Water Development Appropriations subcommittees, […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released more overarching regulations in its latest rulemaking that will affect decommissioning, reactor licensing and oversight. Proposed on Sept. 11, the newest rulemaking in the NRC’s regulations as a part of Executive Order 14300 implementation. The 339-page proposal will have changes that are “intended to make NRC regulations more efficient, predictable […]

Long Beach, Calif.-based maritime nuclear startup Bluecore Energy raised $50 million in seed funding this week. The seed round is the first official stage of fundraising from outside investors for a startup company. Bluecore, founded in 2025, said in its Tuesday press release that the recent funding comes at a time where the company is […]

With the public comment period ending for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) radiation standards rulemaking, NRC Chair Ho Nieh is making the case for moving away from “as low as reasonably achievable,” or ALARA in an opinion column for Exchange Monitor. The rulemaking, part of a series of changes mandated by Executive Order 14300, would […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued two-low level violations against Holtec’s Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan for not complying with NRC requirements for radiation protection. In NRC’s inspection report published Monday, NRC said it found Palisades’ failed to manage the radioactive contamination parts of the plant and did not properly analyze the possible internal radiation […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an application that would indirectly transfer four Dominion Energy nuclear plant licenses to a NextEra Energy subsidiary as part of the companies’ proposed merger. The public may request for a hearing about the indirect transfer of the licenses by Sept. 16. Comments about the transfer application are due […]

Multiple blue state attorneys this week announced their opposition to various Nuclear Regulatory Commission rulemakings called for in President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14300 in May 2025.  A coalition of attorneys general made up of California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington submitted comments Monday on the rulemakings affecting radiation […]

As the public comment period closed Monday for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) radiation standards rulemaking, NRC Chair Ho Nieh continues to back the agency’s move away from “as low as reasonably achievable,” or ALARA, in an op-ed.  The rulemaking, which is part of a series of changes mandated by Executive Order 14300, would move […]

By Ho K. Nieh, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission  Nuclear energy is entering a new era. Across the United States and around the world, countries are looking to nuclear power to provide reliable electricity, strengthen energy security, and support economic growth. Advanced reactors and other innovative technologies are creating opportunities that would have been difficult […]

The state of Tennessee Monday issued a fusion-specific byproduct material license forType One Energy to build a commercial fusion plant at the Bull Run site in Clinton, Tenn. This marks the first-ever fusion license to be issued by a state, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation said in a press release. This decision also […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an application from NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy that would indirectly transfer four Dominion-operated nuclear plant licenses to a NextEra subsidiary as part of the companies’ proposed merger. The public may request for a hearing about the indirect transfer of the licenses by Sept. 16. Comments about the […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is holding an uncontested hearing on Sept. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Central Time in Port Lavaca, Texas on X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactor (SMR) project in Seadrift, Texas. The uncontested hearing, or mandatory hearing, will give public members an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about X-energy’s construction permit application, according […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is holding an uncontested hearing on Sept. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Central Time in Port Lavaca, Texas for X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactor (SMR) project in Seadrift, Texas. The uncontested hearing, or mandatory hearing, will give public members an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about X-energy’s construction permit application, according […]

El Segundo, Calif.-based microreactor developer Radiant Nuclear has signed a long-term nuclear fuel agreement with Standard Nuclear, the company said Aug. 20. Under the deal Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear will  fabricate and supply tristructural isotropic – or TRISO fuel for Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactors through the early 2030s, according to Radiant’s press release. The agreement […]

Two environmental organizations filed appeals to two U.S. Courts of Appeals in pursuit of continuing its challenge to Holtec International’s Palisade Nuclear Generating Station restart in Michigan. The coalition of environmental organizations Don’t Waste Michigan and Michigan Safe Energy Future filed its first appeal to the Sixth Circuit U.S.  Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio […]

X-energy’s subsidiary TRISO-X acquired an additional 70 acres adjacent to its nuclear fuel campus in Oak Ridge, Tenn. this week. X-energy said Tuesday in a press release that this acquisition brings the total campus size to 180 acres. This purchase of land comes a few weeks after the Tennessee state government awarded X-energy $11 million […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hosting a webinar Aug. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss a recent rulemaking that touches on changes to its radiation protection standards. The webinar will be held via Microsoft Teams and will have a question and answer session within it, according to NRC’s July 28 […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Monday issued a draft environmental assessment (EA) finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for NextEra Energy’s Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa. With the issuance of the draft environmental documents, NRC is also seeking public input, according to the Federal Register notice. The comment period closes on Sept. 2. According to […]

While the combination is drawing some resistance, NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy are projecting that their proposed $67 billion merger, announced in May, will be final by fall 2027. The merger effort took a new twist Thursday when Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) used  an opinion piece in the Washington Post to announce she will […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a draft environmental assessment (EA) finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for NextEra Energy’s Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa Monday. With the issuance of the draft environmental documents, NRC is also seeking public input on the regulatory matters, according to the Federal Register notice. The comment period closes […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hosting a webinar Aug. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss a recent rulemaking that touches on changes to its radiation protection standards. The webinar will be held via Microsoft Teams and will have a question and answer session within it, according to NRC’s July 28 […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposed changes to its transportation regulations in preparation for the development of microreactor technologies. The proposed rulemaking, announced on July 22, would modify Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 – or 10 CFR Part 71 – and update package approval requirements suitable for microreactors and new fuel types. “America’s […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved Holtec International’s license termination plan for the decommissioning of Oyster Creek Generating Station in New Jersey, the company said Thursday. Holtec said in a press release this regulatory approval opens the door for it to move forward with plans to build four small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Oyster Creek […]