Vol. 19, No. 32 
INL head calls pilot program good first step in speeding up reactor deployment
-
Defense & Military
Army selects 5 companies to build Janus reactors at military sites
Almost a year after the Janus program was announced in October 2025, the United States Army selected five nuclear companies and awarded a collective of $2.2 billion to them to build over 20 microreactors across several military installations. According to the Army’s Wednesday press release, the five companies are Antares Nuclear, BWX Technologies, General Atomics, […]
-
International
Wright, IAEA see emerging role for nuclear energy in maritime industry
WASHINGTON – The next potential nuclear growth sector is moving commercial ships across the ocean, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and the head of an international organization said here Wednesday. Kicking off the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative, Wright, along with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, said […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Pacific Fusion breaks ground on New Mexico fusion campus
Fremont, Calif.-based Pacific Fusion broke ground in Albuquerque, N.M. for its $1 billion fusion research and manufacturing campus Tuesday morning. The fusion company plans to build a fusion facility at the campus that will contain its demonstration fusion system, which is hoped to achieve net facility gain by 2030, according to Pacific Fusion’s Tuesday press […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
DOE makes second round picks for Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative
The Department of Energy’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) selected 13 new reactor projects this week to participate in DOE’s Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative. According to a Monday DOE Idaho National Laboratory (INL) press release, NRIC, which is located at INL, announced these 12 reactor companies as the following participants to complete 13 projects: […]
-
Commercial Low-Level Waste
DOE prepares for cross-country research cask shipment in 2027
The Department of Energy and a handful of its contractors are gearing up to receive a high burnup research cask shipment at the Idaho National Laboratory in the coming year. The high burnup research cask will be shipped out of Dominion Energy’s North Anna Power Station in Mineral, Va. DOE said last June it will […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Component fabrication underway for Holtec’s HI-TEST facility at INL
Holtec’s HI-TEST facility, located at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is preparing for key components to be fabricated and installed at the facility, the company said this week. The HI-TEST facility will serve as a one-third representation of its SMR-300 small modular reactor (SMR) plant and to calculate performance margins in the […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC staff to discuss to X-energy’s Texas SMR plans
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 […]
-
International
Wright cites ‘strong non-proliferation protocols’ in Saudi 123 agreement before Congress
WASHINGTON – The United States’ civil nuclear cooperation agreement, or 123 agreement, with Saudi Arabia has been sent to Congress for review, Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed Wednesday to reporters at a press conference. Wright spoke with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi at IAEA’s Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea, […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Westinghouse reaches criticality with eVinci microreactor
Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor system successfully reached zero-power criticality at a testing facility at the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) this week, the company said. Westinghouse said in a Tuesday press release that the milestone was achieved at 10:39 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday at the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) facility, the […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Standard Nuclear signs TRISO fuel deals with two microreactor developers
Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear has recently signed long-term nuclear fuel agreements with El Segundo, Calif.-based microreactor developer Radiant Nuclear and Torrance, Calif.-based Antares Nuclear. Standard Nuclear announced a deal with Radiant that goes through the early 2030s on Aug. 20 and the Antares’ deal announced on Thursday is scheduled to go through 2035. Under […]
-
Naval Nuclear Propulsion
DOT, Port of Corpus Christi to explore maritime SMR technologies
The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas agreed to partner up to explore small modular reactors (SMRs) for maritime purposes. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel and Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) from the House Appropriations’ Energy and Water subcommittee were all in attendance for the signing […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
First American Nuclear files NRC papers for fuel fabrication plant
Indianapolis-based First American Nuclear Company (FANCO) has submitted what it calls a “regulatory engagement plan” with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility. FANCO said in its Aug. 17 press release it plans to make its own fuel, using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), for its 240-megawatt EAGL-1 lead-bismuth eutectic-cooled fast small […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Round Up: Ur-Energy makes uranium shipment; Kairos launches new workforce program; SHINE, Argonne, CWRU to collaborate on fuel recycling; Bechtel to lead construction of Poland’s nuclear plant
Ur-Energy completed its first shipment of uranium from its Shirley Basin uranium mine to its Lost Creek processing facility in Wyoming, the company said in an Aug. 20 press release. Casper, Wyo.-based Ur-Energy previously announced plans to begin mining uranium at its Shirley Basin site in April and received authorization from the Wyoming Department of […]