Vol. 36, No. 16 
EM senior exec Sosson lauds DOE staff amid retirements
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Transuranic Waste
EM approves critical decision 4 for WIPP SSCVS project
According to an April 4 Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board report, DOE’s Office of Environmental Management approved an exemption request to allow for critical decision 4 approval for the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System project at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The Environmental Management office approved the request on March 12, the report said. Critical […]
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Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC Commissioner says doesn’t know the future of NRC under Trump, ‘Does anybody?’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Christopher Hanson, commissioner for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Monday he does not know where the future of the agency stands under the current Donald Trump administration, the executive order threatening diluting power, and the current lawsuit against the agency. “I don’t know,” Hanson said with a laugh in answer to a […]
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Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Sam Altman leaves Oklo board, Jacob DeWitte steps up
Sam Altman, co-founder and chief executive officer of OpenAI, is stepping down as chairman of the board of nuclear power company Oklo, according to a company statement Wednesday. Jacob DeWitte, Oklo CEO and co-founder, will serve as chairman and board member in Altman’s place. “As Oklo explores strategic partnerships to deploy clean energy at scale, […]
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Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
TVA intends to submit SMR construction permit for Clinch River site
The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to submit a construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a small modular reactor at the Clinch River nuclear site in Oak Ridge, Tenn. by June 2025. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in an April 17 letter of notification of intent. TVA […]
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Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC regional administrator steps down after 30 years with the agency
Nuclear Regulatory Commission regional administrator Laura Dudes has stepped away from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after 30 years of service. Dudes began in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 1994 as a reactor engineer intern and soon worked up to other positions such as Region I, Division of Reactor Safety inspector. In 2006, she was […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Various weapons complex officials advance
President Donald Trump has nominated several officials to lead key Department of Energy branches serving nuclear energy and the weapons complex, and some are making progress through the confirmation process. The nominees would report to the already confirmed Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Exchange Monitor will update the nominees’ progress from time to time. James […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Lacking a quorum, DNFSB could lose another member in 2025
Almost three months into the second Donald Trump administration a safety watchdog panel for Department of Energy nuclear installation still lacks a quorum. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), which is set up as a five-member panel, is down to two people and its lone Republican’s current term expires in October. The Trump administration […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Wrap-up: North Wind Dynamics gets Paducah contract; Legacy waste milestone at West Valley; Anti-nuclear activist petitions Three Mile Island name change; more
The Office of Environmental Management awarded the Paducah Infrastructure Support Services contract to North Wind Dynamics in Idaho Falls, Idaho, a DOE press release from April 17 said. North Wind Dynamics will perform services such as maintenance, custodial services, property management, environmental safety and engineering for the Paducah site. The contract value is around $152.6 […]