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.
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Round Up: Nuclear startup looks to thorium for microreactor; Oklo acquires Oak Ridge-based company; DOE approves fusion company’s preconceptual design; NRC to take public input on advanced reactors
Florida-based nuclear startup AMPERA’s established an Australia-based subsidiary to streamline the use of thorium from Australia to fuel its “factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system’, the company said Tuesday. According to AMPERA’s press release, these efforts build off the framework the U.S. government announced with Australia to secure supply for mining and processing critical, rare […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Weaver sworn in for new term as commissioner
In less than a year, Doug Weaver has been sworn in as a Nuclear Regulatory Commission member twice, this time for a new five-year term. Weaver was confirmed alongside nearly 50 of President Donald Trump’s other nominees in the en bloc package, Senate Resolution 690, spearheaded by the Republicans. The nominees’ confirmation passed by a […]
-
Recommissioning & Restarts
NRC issues draft environmental review for proposed Three Mile Island restart
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public input on a draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for restarting the former Three Mile Island reactor. NRC published a notice in the Federal Register on Monday and requested that comments be submitted by July 8. NRC is evaluating the foreseeable environmental effects […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Experts cite urgent need to build up domestic enrichment capacity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Legislation to accelerate licensing for domestic uranium enrichment is critical in building nuclear reactors at scale, panelists told the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy subcommittee Tuesday. During the House subcommittee hearing, the panelists discussed six proposed pieces of nuclear energy-related legislation that subcommittee members said are aimed to further modernize nuclear […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC could hold mandatory hearings sooner
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a new rulemaking Monday that would move its mandatory hearings in licensing reviews towards the beginning of the process rather than towards the end. According to NRC’s Tuesday press release, the rulemaking, triggered by Executive Order 14300 and the Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act — or the ADVANCE Act […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC issues policy to move around mandatory hearings in application review processes
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a new rulemaking Monday that would move its mandatory hearings in licensing reviews towards the beginning of the process rather than towards the end. According to NRC’s Tuesday press release, the rulemaking, triggered by Executive Order 14300 and the Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act — or the ADVANCE Act […]
-
Recommissioning & Restarts
NRC issues draft environmental review for proposed Three Mile Island restart
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public input on a draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the former Three Mile Island reactor restart. NRC published a notice in the Federal Register on Monday and requested that comments be submitted by July 8. NRC is currently evaluating the foreseeable environmental […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
NRC to hold advanced reactor technical informational meeting
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will host a hybrid observation meeting on June 15 to give the public an opportunity to see the agency is performing its regulatory function and to discuss regulatory issues. NRC said in its meeting memo that the meeting will be an all day meeting, starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Weaver sworn in as commissioner for a new term
In less than a year, Doug Weaver was officially sworn in as a Nuclear Regulatory Commission member for a new five-year term on June 5. Weaver was confirmed alongside nearly 50 of President Donald Trump’s other nominees in the en bloc package, Senate Resolution 690, spearheaded by the Republicans. The nominees’ confirmation passed by a […]
-
Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
Curio starts talks with NRC for used nuclear fuel recycling facility
Curio submitted a letter of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to start the pre-application work and the eventual submission of its operating license for the NuCycle used nuclear fuel recycling facility at a site yet to be determined. According to Curio’s May 27 press release, site selection is underway for the proposed fuel recycling […]
-
Budget & Policy
House Energy Subcommittee to review several federal nuclear bills
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy subcommittee will host a hearing to examine several pieces of nuclear legislation on June 9 in Room 2123 in Rayburn House Office Building at 10:15 a.m. Eastern Time. The subcommittee panel will look at three bills that have already been introduced during this Congressional session. It will examine […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
‘There is no nuclear renaissance going on,’ environmental groups say
Several officials from environmental organizations held a meeting in Washington, D.C. Tuesday warning against reworking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and streamlining nuclear deployment amid the push of powering artificial intelligence (AI). Over the past year, various environmental groups have opposed the United States’ renewed interest in nuclear power, spearheaded by President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump’s […]
-
Budget & Policy
House Energy Subcommittee to review several federal nuclear bills
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy subcommittee will host a hearing to examine several pieces of nuclear legislation on June 9 in Room 2123 in Rayburn House Office Building at 10:15 a.m. Eastern Time. The subcommittee panel will look at three bills that have already been introduced during this Congressional session. It will examine […]
-
Interim Storage & Waste Disposal
Curio starts talks with NRC for used nuclear fuel recycling facility
Curio submitted a letter of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to start the pre-application work and the eventual submission of its operating license for the NuCycle used nuclear fuel recycling facility at a site yet to be determined. According to Curio’s May 27 press release, the company plans to seek approval for the fuel […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Round Up: NANO buys transportation services company; Minnesota lawmakers fund nuclear study; NRC receives medical isotope facility CPA and more
NANO Nuclear acquired a transportation and services company named Secured Transportation Services that specializes in delivering radioactive materials. NANO said in a Monday press release that this acquisition represents an important milestone for the company, helping it become a vertically integrated company addressing a challenge in the fuel cycle: the transportation of nuclear materials for […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
NRC begins accelerated review for Orano’s Project IKE uranium enrichment facility
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission accepted Orano USA’s Project IKE uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn. for an accelerated review on May 21. NRC said in a press release it plans to complete its technical review of Orano’s construction permit application within 12 months. That evaluation will include a detailed safety and security analysis and […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
NRC begins accelerated review for Orano’s Project IKE uranium enrichment facility
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission accepted Orano USA’s Project IKE uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn. for an accelerated review on May 21. NRC said in a press release it plans to complete its technical review of Orano’s construction permit application within 12 months. That evaluation will include a detailed safety and security analysis and […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
Nebraska study finds four potential advanced reactor sites
The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) recently identified four potential sites for a new advanced reactor to be built in Nebraska. In a May 20 press release, NPPD said that Beatrice, Brownville, Norfolk and Sutherland were the top four communities suited for a new reactor. The four sites identified were as a part of the […]
-
Budget & Policy
Democrat House Appropriator to run in redrawn Florida district
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) will run for another term in Florida’s 20th Congressional district amid Florida’s new redrawn district maps, she announced on her X account May 22. Wasserman Schultz has been a representative for over 20 years. She is a member of the House Appropriation Committee and its Subcommittee on Energy and Water […]
-
National Laboratories
Wrap Up: Fire restrictions at Los Alamos; Would D.C welcome a reactor; NRC member gets full term; more
The wildfire-prone New Mexico county where the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory is located has entered “stage 1 fire restrictions,” according to a recent post from the Los Alamos County Department of Public Utilities. “Fire Marshal Colorado Cordova of the Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) has enacted fire restrictions to Stage 1, effective […]
-
Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Round Up: TNC launches nuclear security platform; Indiana bids to become NRC agreement state; New nuclear fuel recycling company emerges and more
The Nuclear Company has launched a next-generation nuclear security platform called NOS Security this week that would modernize protection of nuclear infrastructure, construction sites and operating facilities across the United States and allied nations. NOS Security, developed over the past year, is an integrated cyber-security platform for the nuclear industry, The Nuclear Company said in […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Senate reconfirms NRC’s Weaver in en bloc package of Trump nominees
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Doug Weaver was reconfirmed by the Senate Monday to serve a full five-year term as a commissioner that will expire in June 2031. Weaver was confirmed alongside nearly 50 of President Donald Trump’s other nominees in the en bloc package, Senate Resolution 690, spearheaded by the Republicans. The nominees’ confirmation passed […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
NRC completes X-Energy’s environmental review for Texas SMR project
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has found no significant impact in the environmental assessment of Dow and X-Energy’s construction permit application for their Texas small modular reactor (SMR) station.. NRC said on Monday the environmental assessment was completed ahead of schedule. It also determined an environmental assessment was sufficient for X-Energy’s Texas project than an […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
NRC accepts NANO Nuclear’s university microreactor for review
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted the NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS microreactor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Illinois for review on Tuesday. The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, NANO’s partner for the reactor deployment, submitted the application on March 31. The university’s engineering department is NANO’s partner for the […]
-
Budget & Policy
House Appropriations Committee passes energy and water bill
The House Appropriations Committee passed 34-25 its version of a bill on Wednesday that would give $1.8 billion to the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and $892.3 million to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, this would be more than President Donald Trump’s White House request of $1.53 […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
One year ago: A look back on Trump’s executive order to reform NRC
This weekend, Saturday May 23 to be exact, marks the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14300, which sought to overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The May 2025 executive action took the industry by storm as it called for the nuclear regulator to undergo various changes to accelerate nuclear licensing and deployment in […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
NRC accepts NANO Nuclear’s university microreactor for review
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted the NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS microreactor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Illinois for review on Tuesday. The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, NANO’s partner for the reactor deployment, submitted the application on March 31. The university’s engineering department is NANO’s partner for the […]
-
Advanced Nuclear & SMRs
NRC completes X-Energy’s environmental review for Texas SMR project
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has found no significant impact in the environmental assessment of Dow and X-Energy’s construction permit application for their Texas small modular reactor (SMR) plant. NRC said on Monday the environmental assessment was completed ahead of schedule. It also determined an environmental assessment was sufficient for X-Energy’s Texas project than an […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Senate reconfirms NRC’s Weaver in en bloc package of Trump nominees
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Doug Weaver was reconfirmed by the Senate Monday to serve a full five-year term as a commissioner that will expire in June 2031. Weaver was confirmed alongside nearly 50 of President Donald Trump’s other nominees in the en bloc package, Senate Resolution 690, spearheaded by the Republicans. The nominees’ confirmation […]
-
Reactor Licensing & Regulation
Indiana sets out to become an NRC agreement state
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said on May 15 it has received a bid from Indiana to become the 41st agreement state. An agreement state enters into a deal with the NRC to assume regulatory authority over particular radioactive materials and do inspections within the respective state borders. The state also receives some license fee […]








