Publications: Nuclear Energy & Radwaste Monitor

The prototype reactor canister for Deep Fission’s Gravity reactor.arrived at the company’s Parsons, Kan. site on Tuesday, which the company said marks a milestone in its “Proof-of-Concept Well” program and unit’s development  Berkeley, Calif.-based Deep Fission said in a press release the factory-built prototype canister completed fabrication, hydrostatic testing and was delivered to Kansas for […]

The United States signed a memorandum of cooperation with Japan and South Korea to create a framework between the three to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) in other countries. The initial focus on the countries’ three-way cooperation would initially focus on the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Department of State’s Tuesday press release. The agreement […]

Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear proposed its initial public offering (IPO) Tuesday just weeks after the company filed its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in mid-June. The advanced nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear said in a Tuesday press release it is launching its “roadshow” for its proposed IPO of 18.25 million shares […]

Centrus Energy and the Department of Energy have signed the contract for the $900 million DOE award to bolster the domestic uranium enrichment production that was announced in January. American Centrifuge Operating, a Centrus company, was one of the three companies awarded $900 million by DOE, totaling $2.7 billion given out in task orders. Centrus […]

The Department of Energy has approved the documented safety analysis for Oklo’s Groves Isotope test reactor in Lockhart, Texas under its reactor pilot program. This approval under DOE’s authorization for the reactor pilot program puts Oklo’s Groves test reactor into its final pre-startup phase, the operational readiness review, Oklo said in a Wednesday press release. […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued proposed rules late last week that would make several changes designed to ease management and disposal of greater-than-class-c (GTCC) radioactive waste.  NRC said in a June 25 press release the proposed rule “would modernize the NRC’s framework for land disposal of low-level radioactive waste by allowing disposal facilities to use […]

Deployable Energy’s Unity project has become the third advanced reactor to reach zero-power criticality by July 4.  Houston, Texas-based Deployable Energy, founded in 2025, achieved this milestone under the DOE’s Nuclear Energy Launch Pad Initiative, which is the successor to DOE’s reactor pilot program. The Launch Pad, established in March, is based at the National […]

As of Wednesday afternoon, it appears no date has been set for the full House of Representatives to take up the House Appropriations Committee version of the fiscal 2027 Energy & Water Development bill, which was considered by the House Rules Committee last week. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) who chairs the House Appropriations Energy & […]

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is seeking public input on what it calls its “preliminary final” 2026 Integrated Resource Plan and its associated environmental impact statement (EIS). TVA’s Integrated Resource Plan is a long-term planning document that analyzes its seven-state region’s growing energy needs over the next 20-plus years. The strategy provides insight on how […]

The North Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill that would regulate data centers, and prohibit Duke Energy from retiring coal- or gas-fired power plants until it obtains a permit to build a nuclear plant. The legislation, Senate Bill 730, now named the Ratepayer Protection Act, was amended and passed in the House in a […]

Urenco USA started operations of its fifth cascade of new uranium enrichment capacity at its National Enrichment Facility in Eunice, N.M., the company said Monday. The fifth cascade officially began to operate on June 22, which was ahead of schedule, Urenco USA said in a Monday press release. The company previously installed new cascades over […]

Arizona Public Service and two other Arizona-based utilities have begun their preliminary siting study to explore opportunities for additional nuclear power in Arizona. The study will use a phased screening methodology to narrow down potential locations in the state to a short list, Arizona Public Service said in a June 24 press release. The siting […]

Many countries are searching to find a suitable deep underground geological repository for high-level radioactive waste in an effort to close the nuclear fuel cycle.  In June, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board held its spring meeting in Arlington, Va. with several international representatives sharing lessons learned in the siting process for a waste repository. […]

In a policy that has already encountered resistance, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is looking to replace the “as low as reasonably achievable” (ALARA) principle with “clearer, more objective” rules for radiation protection, the agency said Wednesday. ALARA is the principle that everything reasonably possible should be done to lower radiation exposure. This principle is a […]

The fiscal 2027 House Energy and Water Appropriations bill text was released Wednesday and waits to be debated on the House floor. The bill text and any amendments submitted are available online. While the bill was scheduled to be debated on the House floor this week, debate and votes were postponed. Under the Department of […]

The Canadian government released its first-ever national nuclear strategy this week that aims to bolster the country’s nuclear lifecycle capabilities and ensure the nation is an industry leader. . The Nuclear Energy Strategy, published Monday, was initially announced at the Canadian Nuclear Association Conference in Ottawa that took place from April 28-30 by Canada’s Minister […]

A third advanced reactor is expected to hit criticality in coming days and beat the July 4 deadline, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at a Thursday event held near the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Last year, DOE, under Executive Order 14301, established a reactor pilot program with the goal of having at […]

The Department of Energy has revealed its third round of selections for its Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear’s (GAIN) energy voucher program in fiscal 2026. According to DOE GAIN’s Wednesday press release, the recipients are: Aalo Atomics, based in Austin, Texas. OrganiCore Nuclear, based in New York, N.Y. Raven-Flint Nuclear Corp., based in Idaho […]

Montreal, Canada-based AtkinsRéalis submitted a notice of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wednesday, starting the licensing process for the Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactor in the United States. This submission initiates the formal pre-application engagement with NRC and is part of AtkinsRéalis’ strategy to expand into the U.S. market with large-scale reactor technology that […]

Now over six months into Ho Nieh’s tenure, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission chair said Wednesday the agency is becoming a regulator that enables and accelerates nuclear technology deployment through its new rulemakings and approaches. “One of the big changes that was driven by the executive orders was again that call for immediate action to focus […]

Fusion supply chain spending has increased in 2025, but a large majority of suppliers say investment is hard to come by, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) reported. In FIA’s Fusion Industry Supply Chain 2026 report, published Tuesday, supply chain spending in the fusion industry increased by 24% to a total of $538 million in 2025. […]

The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing has issued a conditional loan commitment program of $17.5 billion to finance the purchase of long-lead time components for nuclear reactors. DOE said in a Tuesday press release that the nuclear supply chain loans will finance five eligible projects sponsored by utilities and companies across the […]

New changes are coming to nuclear fuel cycle and materials licensing, including an exclusive streamlined licensing pathway for nuclear fuel reprocessing, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said on June 18. NRC said in a press release that the proposed rule where the changes will occur is intended to reduce regulatory barriers and expedite development of fuel […]

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unveiled an interactive map that shows how much spent nuclear fuel is produced around the world and where it sits. IAEA said in a Monday press release that this tool is the second edition of its Global SNF Inventory, with the first being published in 2019 based on data […]

Startup nuclear project developer Elementl Power is pursuing plans to build a 1,500-megawatt nuclear plant using GE Vernova Hitachi’s BWRX-300 reactors in southeast Ohio. Construction on the first unit is expected to begin by 2030, subject to a final investment decision and regulatory approval, Elementl Power said in its June 18 press release, and hope […]

Another non-light reactor has reached criticality under the Department of Energy’s reactor pilot program, as California-based Valar Atomics achieved the milestone on June 18. Valar Atomics conducted its zero-power criticality testing at Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Emery County, Utah, marking the first reactor to hit this feat outside of a national laboratory, according […]

TerraPower has begun the generic design assessment review process in the United Kingdom and created a U.K.-based subsidiary this week.  The Bellevue, Wash.-based nuclear company submitted its generic design assessment application for its Natrium reactor in October 2025. The U.K. government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero accepted TerraPower’s application for review in February.  […]