On Thursday, Ontario Power Generation received approval from the Province of Ontario to build its first small modular reactor at the Darlington New Nuclear Site in Clarington, Ontario.
With a target date of 2030 for operation, OPG will build its first BWRX-300 SMR at the Darlington site. The company intends to build a fleet of four BWRX-300 SMRs to produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity to support Ontario’s electrification and grow Canada’s nuclear fleet.
Last month, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a construction permit to OPG to build its first BWRX-300 SMR at the Darlington nuclear site. The company said Darlington’s SMR will be the first new nuclear build in Ontario in over 30 years.
The Department of Energy announced three policy actions Thursday that it claims could save taxpayers $935 million annually, while expanding U.S. scientific research.
The three actions tighten standard on grant awards to limit indirect costs, such as administrative and facilities cost, of DOE’s funding to 10% for state and local governments, 15% for non-profit organizations and 15% for for-profit organizations, as stated in the DOE’s Thursday press release.
The announcement follows after last month when the DOE announced to reduce its funding of indirect costs at colleges and universities to 15%. Colleges and universities have since challenged the policy in federal court, in which a federal judge temporarily blocked DOE’s policy.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on April 30 favorably reported out two of President Donald Trump’s Department of Energy nominees.
The committee endorsed Preston Wells Griffith to be undersecretary of energy and Dario Gil to be undersecretary of energy for science. Both nominations are being placed on the Senate executive calendar, one of the last steps before being voted on by the full Senate.
Griffith passed 14-6 and Gill passed 15-to-5. Gill served on a group of national science advisers during the first Trump administration. Currently a consultant, Griffith was a special assistant to the president on energy and environmental policy during the first Trump term.
Amentum has announced the opening of its new Nuclear Center of Excellence in Oak Ridge, Tenn. to support the expansion of nuclear power.
The center will serve as a hub for nuclear expertise, engineering and operational purposes. Amentum said in its Thursday press release that the center will work closely with government agencies to strengthen partnerships in the private and public sectors to foster collaboration.
Former Central Plateau Cleanup Company president John Eschenberg will lead the center, Amentum announced.
