Archive

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The independent federal agency that licenses and regulates civilian use of nuclear materials, including commercial reactor operation, decommissioning, and radioactive waste storage and disposal.

  • Ex-NRC commissioner Baran takes buyout option, leaves DOE

    Jeffrey Baran, a former member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission who more recently worked at the Department of Energy, has taken a deferred resignation offer from the Office of Personnel Management and is leaving the federal government. Baran joined DOE last September as deputy assistant secretary for waste and materials management at the Office of […]

  • Tennessee gov plans $50M to support TVA small modular reactor

    Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) proposed plans this week for his state to spend $50 million to support the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Clinch River small modular reactor project Lee’s proposal during Monday’s State of the State address comes about a month after a TVA-led coalition submitted an $800 million grant proposal to the Department […]

  • AEP seeks DOE grants for SMR projects in Virginia, Indiana

    Ohio-based American Electric Power (AEP) is seeking Department of Energy financial support to explore small modular reactor (SMR) projects in Indiana and Virginia. AEP hopes to secure DOE grant money for early site permits through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Spencer County, Ind., as well as Campbell County, Va., the company said in a […]

  • Foes of Palisades restart urge NRC panel to reject Holtec request

    Various citizen groups and some local landowners this week urged a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) panel to reject a request from Holtec to revive the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan. “Holtec’s proposal to resurrect Palisades on the basis of incomplete and outdated documentation—along with an unsupported request for exemptions—does not satisfy the standards,” according to […]

  • Feds head to appeals court in challenge to Yankee spent fuel cost award

    The U.S. government is appealing a Court of Federal Claims ruling that it should pay a combined $145 million to the operators of a trio of retired nuclear power plants in New England for the Department of Energy’s failure to remove spent fuel from the reactors. Lawyers with the U.S. attorney general’s office filed a […]

  • Tennessee gov plans $50M to support TVA small modular reactor

    Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) proposed plans this week for his state to spend $50 million to support the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Clinch River small modular reactor project Lee’s proposal during Monday’s State of the State address comes about a month after a TVA-led coalition submitted an $800 million grant proposal to the Department […]

  • Judge unblocks deferred retirement ‘fork,’ OPM closes program

    On the same day a federal district judge in Massachusetts lifted his earlier restraining  order against the Donald Trump administration’s deferred retirement program for government workers, the Office of Personnel Management closed out the program. “The Deferred Resignation Program is now closed,” according to a notice Wednesday on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. […]

  • Judge unblocks deferred retirement ‘fork,’ OPM closes program

    On the same day a federal district judge in Massachusetts lifted his earlier restraining  order against the Donald Trump administration’s deferred retirement program for government workers, the Office of Personnel Management closed out the program. “The Deferred Resignation Program is now closed,” according to a notice Wednesday on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. […]

  • This Week

    Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking this week: 10: Hearing: A federal district judge in Massachusetts will hear arguments on a White House plan to offer deferred resignations to certain federal employees.  11: Earnings call:  Leidos will discuss its quarterly financial results during an earnings call starting at […]

  • Judge sets hearing on “fork” buyouts; Murray balks as exodus rumors spread

    Staffers at the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies now have the weekend to consider taking up the Donald Trump administration offer on buyouts, as a federal judge will hear arguments Monday on the deferred resignation program. The Thursday ruling from U.S. District judge George O’Toole, Jr. in Massachusetts held up the […]

  • NRC finds no big enviro impact from Palisades restart, seeks comment

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has found no big environmental harm should result from Holtec International’s proposed restart of the 800-megawatt Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert, Mich. Between now and March 3, the NRC is taking public comment on its draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact, according to a Federal Register […]

  • Round Up: Fitzsimmons becomes DOE staff chief; Arizona trio look at SMRs; board member confirms resignation request; more

    Alex Fitzsimmons, who previously held executive jobs at the Department of Energy and the private sector has been appointed DOE chief of staff under Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Fitzsimmons announced his chief of staff job last week on his LinkedIn page and introduced Wright Wednesday morning when the energy secretary gave his first address […]

  • Texas A&M offers land for companies to build SMRs

    Texas A&M University announced Tuesday it would offer land to four advanced nuclear reactor companies to build small modular reactors. According to a press release by the university, reactor manufacturers have been looking for a piece of land large enough to build clusters of reactors to generate a power supply “needed for artificial intelligence endeavors, […]

  • Texas A&M offers land for companies to build SMRs

    Texas A&M University announced Tuesday it would offer land to four advanced nuclear reactor companies to build small modular reactors. According to a press release by the university, reactor manufacturers have been looking for a piece of land large enough to build clusters of reactors to generate a power supply “needed for artificial intelligence endeavors, […]

  • NRC finds no big enviro impact from Palisades restart, seeks comment

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has found no big environmental harm should result from Holtec International’s proposed restart of the 800-megawatt Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert, Mich. Between now and March 3, the NRC is taking public comment on its draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact, according to a Federal Register […]

  • NRC works to comply with White House in-office policy

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is revising its work policy to comply with recent White House directives, including getting most employees off telework and back to the office, a spokesperson said last week. “The NRC is working to ensure compliance with the White House’s executive orders and companion guidance, where applicable,” an NRC spokesperson said […]

  • Wrap Up: Senate RECA bill revived; Cadre buys Carr’s nuclear; Management Solutions acquires KeySource; more

    A bipartisan group of U.S. senators are reintroducing a bill to reauthorize and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation (RECA) Act. A similar bill passed the Senate last session but never made it to a vote in the House of Representatives. On Thursday Jan. 23, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced he and Sen. Ben Ray Luján […]

  • Round Up: NRC Palisades hearing set; TVA SMR meetings planned; more

    A Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) panel will hear oral arguments Feb. 12 on the potential restart of the  Holtec Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan. The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel proceedings in Rockville, Md., will be open to the public. Information on how to listen to the oral arguments can be found here. […]

  • NextEra Energy targets 2028 restart of Iowa nuclear plant

    Florida-based NextEra Energy said during its fourth quarter earnings report Friday it is shooting for a 2028 restart of its Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa. “Recently, the company filed notice with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to request a licensing change—an important first step in establishing the regulatory pathway to restore the facility’s operating […]

  • Supreme Court filings argue NRC’s ability to license private storage

    The federal government, Texas and landowners are among those filing briefs in a Supreme Court battle on if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission exceeded its authority when it licensed a private company to store 5,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel in the Permian Basin. On March 5, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments […]

  • Nuclear agencies, other feds face “fork in the road”

    The White House this week invited employees of the federal government, including those connected with nuclear energy, weapons and cleanup, to take something akin to a buyout, by submitting a “deferred resignation.” . In a memo dubbed “fork in the road” the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) said federal employees can submit deferred resignations by […]

  • Nuclear agencies, other feds face “fork in the road”

    The White House this week invited employees of the federal government, including those connected with nuclear energy, weapons and cleanup, to take something akin to a buyout, by submitting a “deferred resignation.” . In a memo dubbed “fork in the road” the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) said federal employees can submit deferred resignations by […]

  • NextEra Energy targets 2028 restart of Iowa nuclear plant

    Florida-based NextEra Energy said during its fourth quarter earnings report Friday it is shooting for a 2028 restart of its Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa. “Recently, the company filed notice with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to request a licensing change—an important first step in establishing the regulatory pathway to restore the facility’s operating […]

  • Wright is NRC chair hours after Trump’s swearing in

    President Donald Trump (R) on Monday made David Wright the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Wright was one of a large number of designations the White House announced in a statement mere hours after Trump took the oath of office for the second time. Wright succeeds Christopher Hanson, who had been chairman for much of President […]

  • Wright is NRC chair hours after Trump’s swearing in

    President Donald Trump (R) on Monday made David Wright the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Wright was one of a large number of designations the White House announced in a statement mere hours after Trump took the oath of office for the second time. Wright succeeds Christopher Hanson, who had been chairman for much […]

  • Summer approval for Palisades restart ‘demanding,’ NRC staff say

    Approving the restart of a Michigan nuclear plant by August will be “demanding,” federal regulators said Tuesday, and there is more work ahead than the plant’s owner may realize. That was the takeaway from senior Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff during their hybrid public meeting at commission headquarters in Rockville, Md., with Holtec International, owner of […]

  • After delay, NRC, Holtec meeting virtually to talk Palisades steam generator

    Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff were scheduled to meet virtually on Tuesday with representatives of Holtec International to discuss the company’s planned restart of the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan. The meeting, portions of which are closed to the public, was scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, according to a notice on the […]

  • Marzano sworn in as 5th commissioner at NRC, where most members now are Dem appointees

    Matthew Marzano, President Joe Biden’s (D) third and final Democratic appointee to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was sworn in Tuesday, the agency said. The civilian regulator for nuclear power and nuclear waste announced the ceremony in a press release. Marzano was narrowly confirmed by the 118th Congress’ Democratic Senate majority. He survived an intense pressure campaign […]

  • Marzano sworn in as 5th commissioner at NRC, where most members now are Dem appointees

    Matthew Marzano, President Joe Biden’s (D) third and final Democratic appointee to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was sworn in Tuesday, the agency said. The civilian regulator for nuclear power and nuclear waste announced the ceremony in a press release. Marzano was narrowly confirmed by the 118th Congress’ Democratic Senate majority. He survived an intense pressure […]

  • NRC forecasts up to $5.5M in ADVANCE Act pay increases over two years

    Hiring new employees and upping the compensation of existing ones will cost between $2.3 million and $5.5 million, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a recent report to Congress. The commission made the 10-page report available on its website on Dec. 26. The NRC sent the report to Congress on Dec. 17, as it was […]