The deadline for a Genesis Mission solicitation was moved back to May 1 from April 28, according to the DOE Office of Science grants website.
The solicitation from March invited interested parties from national laboratories, universities and the commercial industry to submit proposals for a $293-million requisition for application (RFA) for the Genesis Mission. Broken up into phases, Phase 1, now accepting proposals until May 1, will support a nine-month project period and will range from $500,000 to $700,000.
Phase II applications are still due May 19.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a technical review of Westinghouse’s AP1000 design application that seeks to update and renew the reactor design certification to support fleet-scale deployment.
According to NRC’s Tuesday press release, the agency said it intends to complete the review by Aug. 31, which would be a four-month review. The update would align the certified AP1000 design with the reactor builds of the Vogtle Units 3 and 4. NRC received Westinghouse’s update application on April 6.
During the construction phase of Vogtle 3 and 4, several design changes were made and approved by NRC, according to the release. NRC said incorporating these changes into the certified design will help streamline future applications that intend to use the AP1000 reactor by allowing them to reference a design that reflects how these reactors are built.
Former Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) chief operating officer Mike Skaggs will become TVA’s interim president and CEO, the federal utility’s board of directors announced April 24.
Current TVA CEO Don Moul has announced he will retire from the utility July 1. Skaggs, who worked as TVA’s chief operating officer from 2018 to 2021, will take the helm upon Moul’s departure.
Skaggs joined TVA in 1994 as a project manager at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant and held executive management positions at Browns Ferry and Sequoyah plants. According to the release, he played a role in several TVA significant nuclear milestones, such as the completion and startup of Watts Bar Unit 2 and the refurbishment of Brown Ferry Unit 1.
Casper, Wyo.-based Ur-Energy has started its uranium mining operations at its Shirley Basin Project in Wyoming, the company announced April 23.
According to Ur-Energy’s press release, the uranium bearing solution is now being captured from Mine Unit 1 at Shirley Basin after the completion of construction, wellfield installation and permitting. The company said it expects to transport uranium-loaded resin to its Lost Creek site for processing this summer, subject to an additional regulatory inspection and approval.
“Two years ago, we committed to building out this project. Today, we have successfully brought a historically significant uranium district back to life, demonstrating disciplined execution of our strategy,” Ur-Energy CEO Matt Gili said. “It is particularly meaningful as it supports the growing need for secure, domestic uranium supply and underscores our ability to move permitted projects toward production while strengthening our role in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle.”
The Government of Alberta awarded a $5 million grant to the Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation Wednesday to contribute the efforts to build a prototype microreactor at the University of Alberta.
The $10 million project brings the government, higher education institutions and private industry together to establish a testing hub for small-scale nuclear technology, according to the company’s press release. Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation will build an unfuelled prototype at the University of Alberta’s Edmonton campus. The company also has a memorandum of understanding with the university to collaborate on research and development for nuclear power.
“This funding from the Government of Alberta is a significant step towards our goal of delivering sovereign energy solutions for Canada’s defence and economic prosperity,” Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation CEO Daniel Sax said. “A new research reactor with the University of Alberta will be a key foundational block on which not only we, but the entire nuclear energy industry in Alberta, can build – delivering innovation, skilled labour, academic excellence, and technological development.”