Publications: Nuclear Energy & Radwaste Monitor

Kentucky state’s nuclear energy department issued a request for information (RFI) late last week to gauge interest in its nuclear reactor pilot program. According to the Oct. 16 RFI, the responses to the solicitation are due by Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Responses from utilities, nuclear reactor developers, prospective utility customers and other […]

Arizona State University, Purdue University and the University of Tennessee have banded together to create a consortium focused on filling the pipeline for the advanced nuclear workforce.  The New Nuclear Academic Consortium, announced on Oct. 14, the three public research universities are working on a regional and national effort to build up a new group […]

Centrus Energy acquired one of its manufacturing suppliers, Westernman Holdings, in a transaction for nearly $116 million, Centrus said Monday. The near-$116 million acquisition was made up of a combination of $95 million cash that was on hand and $21 million of equity, Centrus said in its press release. Additionally, Westernman and all its business […]

Rockville, Md.-based X-energy, American Electric Power (AEP) and Amazon have signed a joint agreement to develop a 960-megawatt small modular reactor (SMR) project in Indiana. Using X-energy’s Xe-100 SMR, X-energy and AEP will pursue feasibility studies for the SMR at the former coal site, Breeding Generation Station, in Sullivan County, Ind. The two companies plan […]

In a short turnaround, West Virginia formally removed itself from consideration for the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus program recently. The state was selected to be the sixth state on a shortlist for the program on Sept. 8, but by Sept. 30, West Virginia withdrew itself after saying it would not be able […]

NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy’s merger could be jeopardized as the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s staff urge the commission to reject the proposal as it currently stands. In a Monday 201-page filing, the Virginia State Corporation Commission staff said the proposed merger application fails to prove that the merger would provide adequate service to Virginia […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking responses to gauge the market’s capabilities to help the agency perform its Force-on-Force inspection activities. According to the NRC’s Monday System for Award Management (SAM) notice, NRC invites all parties, including all categories of small businesses, to respond to the Source Sought Synopsis, a federal market survey tool.  NRC […]

Westinghouse plans to put $1 billion into constructing an advanced nuclear fuel factory at its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina. Cranberry Township, Penn.-based Westinghouse said Wednesday the proposed fuel factory will produce low enriched uranium plus (LEU+) fuel to support its AP1000 reactor fleet. It hopes to have the new facility up and […]

The Nuclear Company, a startup project developer, is eyeing Lewis County, Ky. as its site for a planned 6,600-megawatt power plant that would use six of Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactors. The Prosperity One Nuclear Campus would have up to six AP1000 reactors, with the initial phase of it beginning with two units, The Nuclear Company said […]

The United States Navy selected El Segundo, Calif.-based Radiant Nuclear’s microreactor technology to power Naval Weapons Station in Crane, Ind., the company said Tuesday. The Navy previously announced in September that Naval Weapons Station in Crane would be the service’s first naval microreactor installation. Radiant will work with the Navy, Army, Defense Innovation Unit, Nuclear […]

After weeks of uncertainty at Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, Holtec International said this week it has recovered the “tilted” fuel assembly that has delayed resumption of operations at the previously shuttered plant. With the fuel assembly removed, Holtec said its Palisades team will resume fuel loading and other operational readiness activities. Holtec first began […]

AtkinsRéalis Group said late Monday afternoon it is teaming up with the state of Indiana and Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative to explore a potential 6,000-megawatt nuclear power project that would use Canadian reactor technology. The parties announced in a press release they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore developing a complex […]

AIKEN, S.C. – The Department of Energy wants to see eight large-scale nuclear reactors operating in South Carolina by 2036, and an advanced small modular reactor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in the foreseeable future, Tim Walsh, DOE’s Assistant Secretary of Environmental Management, said here Thursday.  Nationwide, Walsh wants to see 10 big new […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission anticipates several applications from plant operators to uprate reactor units over the next couple of years, NRC staff said Thursday. Energy demand is growing due to factors such as artificial intelligence, data centers and manufacturing. As a result, NRC staff said during an Oct. 22 joint meeting it is making efforts […]

Exchange Monitor is modernizing its web footprint and rebranding some newsletters to better reflect the markets we serve and the beats we cover. ExchangeMonitor.com is still the online home for the news and analysis you have come to rely upon over the years. Only now it has a dramatically better search ability and functionality. Exchange […]

Deployable Energy this week selected Sargent and Lundy as its contractor to provide engineering and licensing services for a planned microreactor. According to Deployable Energy’s Wednesday press release, Sargent and Lundy’s selection will help facilitate Deployable Energy’s efforts to submit a construction permit application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its microreactor named Unity. The […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Army’s Janus nuclear power program could support the military’s broader energy resilience goals under the Donald Trump administration’s “Fortress America” initiative, though officials said the effort will encompass multiple energy technologies. “Fortress America” – which stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply and Survivability – is a national […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved Holtec’s amendment to use a custom method to move tilted fuel assembly from the reactor core this week. NRC approved the amendment request on Tuesday, weeks after Holtec submitted the change on Sept. 30.following the tilted fuel rod incident at the plant. Outlined in the company’s Sept. 21 progress report, […]

The Department of Energy said last month it is launching a solicitation for a new management contract for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The current contract will expire on Sept. 30, 2027, the DOE Office of Science said in a “notice of intent to […]

Urenco USA completed the installation of its sixth new cascade at the National Enrichment Facility in New Mexico, hitting the 75% completion mark in its enrichment expansion plan.  Urenco USA, an affiliate of the European company Urenco, said in a press release the production of the sixth cascade began Oct. 8. The company expects to […]

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 […]

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 […]

Polish company Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) has authorized Westinghouse to start procuring long-lead reactor components for its first AP1000 reactor in Choczewo, Poland. According to Westinghouse’s Oct. 8 press release, this order would cover six of the plant’s reactor components, which include the reactor containment along with its related structural modules. PEJ and Westinghouse expect […]

With the Department of Energy still mulling its contenders for the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus program, Oklahoma officials recently shared more details of its proposal as it pushes to be selected as a host state. According to a September presentation, Oklahoma’s campus would consist of Oklo’s Aurora Powerhouse reactors, an isotope production facility, multiple fuel […]

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Monday to collaborate on using advanced nuclear technology for maritime purposes.  According to ABS’ press release, the MOU explores technologies ranging from “floating power solutions, nuclear-powered vessels and the development of the ports, shipyards […]

Oklo will continue to pursue its Groves isotope production facility project in Texas under the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative, the company said Tuesday. The Groves isotope production facility, referred to as Groves-2 Forge, will include “capabilities to produce, process and purify critical isotopes”, according to Oklo’s press release. Oklo said it […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission raises concern of a “chilled work environment” at two departments at Holtec’s Palisades Nuclear Plant that needs to be addressed promptly, the agency said Tuesday. According to NRC’s regulations, a chilled work environment refers to a workplace culture where staffers feel suppressed or discouraged to raise nuclear safety or regulatory concerns […]

Westinghouse’s AP100 reactor design certification renewal earned the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s approval and now extends the company’s reactor design through 2066, NRC said Wednesday. NRC said in its press release this approval would give future applicants a standardized AP1000 reactor design that replicates Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Ga. NRC added […]