Publications: Nuclear Energy & Radwaste Monitor

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.  […]

United Kingdom-based Rolls-Royce SMR has been selected by Swedish nuclear company Videberg Kraft to deploy three small modular reactors (SMRs) on the Värö peninsula on Sweden’s west coast. Videberg Kraft’s project looks to build Sweden’s first nuclear power plant in over 40 years and to add 1,500 megawatts of low-carbon baseload power, according to Rolls-Royce […]

The largest driver to the increase of nuclear reactor construction cost in the United States is mid-construction regulatory change, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Roger Pielke recently said.  In a Monday analysis report, Pielke said U.S. nuclear construction has essentially flatlined since 2006 and argued that nuclear policy choices have led to the cost increase. […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public input on the environmental review of Holtec’s two proposed small modular reactors (SMRs) at Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan. Comments on the scope of Holtec’s Palisades SMR project’s environmental impact statement are due by July 15. The agency is looking for public comments to identify possible alternatives, environmental […]

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) expects the full House of Representatives to take up the fiscal 2027 Energy & Water Development appropriations bill next week. “We will go to the floor next week.” Fleischmann told the annual meeting of the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The lawmaker, whose district adjoins the Department […]

Centrus Energy and Oklo signed a letter of intent Thursday that would have Centrus supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to fuel up to five of Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse reactors. According to Centrus’ press release, the company would provide HALEU from its American Centrifuge Plant in Pike County, Ohio to Oklo’s planned 1,200-megawatt power campus near […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday it has renewed the license for the Hatch Nuclear Plant in Baxley, Ga.,in under 12 months.. The Edwin Hatch nuclear plant, owned by Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power, received its second license renewal. According to NRC’s June 12 press release, Hatch Unit 1 is now licensed to run through […]

California-based Oklo and Tennessee-based Standard Nuclear entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Tuesday to explore commercial collaboration on nuclear fuel recycling and advanced fuel manufacturing. The collaboration between the two companies comes as both were selected for advanced negotiations by the Department of Energy under its Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program last month, according to […]

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said that Holtec International’s Palisades nuclear power plant will play a role in power data centers in Michigan, according to a Monday WKAR article. Wright, along with Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), discussed energy plans in Michigan amid the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing closing a $1.6 billion […]

Former Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Greg Jaczko lost in a longshot bid for Congress as a Democratic delegate for Washington, D.C., according to multiple news outlets. At-large D.C. council member Robert White won the Democratic primary for the Congressional seat, garnering 62.9% of the vote, according to the Associated Press as of Thursday morning. Jaczko […]

Navarro Research and Engineering has entered into a strategic partnership with New York-based Quadrant Nuclear Industries to support the growing demands of the advanced nuclear industry, Navarro said this week.  According to Navarro’s press release, through the agreement Quadrant Nuclear plans to combine its experience in advanced nuclear technology development and project execution  Navarro’s expertise […]

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in U.S. District Court has ruled that the Department of Energy must overturn its cancellation of $82.1 millions in clean energy grants that were terminated in several Democratic-leaning states. Exchange Monitor reached out to DOE about whether the government would be appealing the June 11 ruling but has not heard […]

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy expects another test reactor to reach criticality imminently, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Acting Chief Operating Officer Lauren Joyce said Wednesday. “I anticipate that you will hear very very soon that a second reactor will go critical, so please stay tuned for that,” Joyce told the annual […]

Zeno Power, a Seattle-based maker of nuclear batteries, has selected the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, Calif. For a manufacturing facility, the company said Thursday. Additionally, Zeno also partnered with nuclear decommissioning company NorthStar to help restore specialized hot cell infrastructure to produce nuclear batteries purposed for commercial, defense and space uses, according to the […]

The Department of Energy unveiled the final version of its Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap on Tuesday. The Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap serves as a national strategy to place the development and commercialization of fusion energy on a fast track. The newest fusion strategy aligns DOE and private industry to bring together fusion energy, […]