International

U.K. Cleanup Focus

Friday, June 5, 2015

First Phase of Breeder Rod Shipments from Dounreay to Sellafield Done

Kenneth Fletcher
WC Monitor
6/5/2015

Scotland’s Dounreay site recently completed the last shipment of an 11-ton batch of breeder reactor rods to the Sellafield site for storage in an effort to consolidate U.K. used fuel, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority announced this week. While plans originally called for storing the material on site, in 2011 the U.K. government decided to remove it from Dounreay. For the project’s initial phase, the first of 32 shipments of breeder reactor fuel left the site in December 2012. For subsequent phases, an additional 33 tons of breeder reactor remains at Dounreay awaiting shipment to Sellafield. “Together, we have delivered safely and without harm to the public or the environment the first phase of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s programme to consolidate its inventory of nuclear fuel and materials in the UK,” Alex Potts, deputy director of fuels at Dounreay, said in a statement. “It significantly reduces the amount of nuclear material at Dounreay and takes us another step closer towards the closure of the site.”

Sellafield Limited Awards £20 Million Container Contract to Tata Steel

Kenneth Fletcher
WC Monitor
6/5/2015

Sellafield Ltd. last week awarded a four-year £20 million ($30.5 million) contract to Tata Steel to refurbish waste containers and doors for the transfer of waste from legacy plants at the Sellafield site to new storage facilities. The material will allow the decommissioning of the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo to get underway. “This announcement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring value for money for the UK taxpayer without compromising quality” Paul Foster, Sellafield Ltd Managing Director, said in a statement. This comes after Sellafield Ltd. awarded earlier in May a contract worth up to £50 million ($78 million) to Metalcraft for providing high integrity stainless steel nuclear waste storage containers stored at the Pile Fuel Cladding Silo.

International

NATO has proceeded with annual nuclear exercise amid Russian nuclear warning

Sarah Salem

Thursday, October 15, 2026

NATO proceeded this week with its annual nuclear deterrence exercise this week despite recent Russian warnings that it could use nuclear weapons if its territory, including Kaliningrad, comes under threat.

The 10-day, now declassified Steadfast Noon exercise began Oct. 13 and is hosted by Italy, with aircraft from 17 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries participating. The drill is designed to test the alliance’s nuclear readiness and procedures and does not involve live nuclear weapons or ammunition, according to The Washington Post.

NATO officials described the exercise as a longstanding, routine activity that is not directed at Russia or linked to current events. NATO’s Head of Nuclear Policy Nassima Barrows said the alliance has not observed changes in Russia’s nuclear posture that would cause concern, despite increased nuclear rhetoric.

Russia warned NATO earlier this month against attempting to isolate Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania that hosts military assets including nuclear-capable Iskander missiles. Russian officials said Moscow would be prepared to use its full arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend the territory.

International

NATO to proceed with annual nuclear exercise amid Russian nuclear warning

Exchange Monitor

Monday, October 12, 2026

NATO will proceed with its annual nuclear deterrence exercise this week despite recent Russian warnings that it could use nuclear weapons if its territory, including Kaliningrad, comes under threat.

The 10-day, now declassified Steadfast Noon exercise is scheduled to begin Oct. 13 and will be hosted by Italy, with aircraft from 17 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries expected to participate. The drill is designed to test the alliance’s nuclear readiness and procedures and does not involve live nuclear weapons or ammunition, according to The Washington Post.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

BWXT’s reactor chosen for Canadian microreactor project

Exchange Monitor

Friday, October 9, 2026

BWX Technologies’ microreactor was selected by Prodigy Clean Energy and two Canadian Indigenous tribes to be the technology for the Transportable Nuclear Power Plant at Belledune in New Brunswick, Canada.

The BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor – or BANR – is designed to be a high-temperature gas-cooled transportable microreactor with a generating capacity of 22 megawatts of electricity. The reactor will be powered by tristructural isotropic or – TRISO – fuel.

BWXT’s reactor selection came after Prodigy made plans public to build an Indigenous-led nuclear power plant that would have a generating capacity of up to 50 megawatts and be located within the traditional territory of the Pabineau and Eel River Bar First Nations, according to the Monday press release.

“The BWXT team is designing BANR to meet a variety of real-world heat and electricity demands that currently cannot be met without the use of carbon-emitting sources with complex fuel logistics,” John MacQuarrie, BWXT president of commercial operations, said in the release.

If deployed, the Transportable Nuclear Power Plant would power 40,000 homes, Prodigy said in September. Prodigy, Pabineau First Nation and Eel River Bar First hope to have that plant online by the 2030s.

BWXT said it is planning on getting its BANR reactors factory-built, shipped and installed in about 18 months, while “the facility arrives at the site fully assembled, ready for fueling and related fuel-in commissioning.”

The two BANR reactors, plus the nuclear and non-nuclear plant systems for the Belledune microreactor plant, will be fabricated at BWXT’s facilities in Ontario, Canada. The units will additionally be supported by various nuclear supply chain vendors, BWXT said.

BWXT Canada and Kinectrics, BWXT’s recently acquired subsidiary, will also provide its workforce for the project, according to the release.

“By joining forces with Prodigy and integrating BANR with Prodigy’s transportable platform design, we are truly expanding BWXT’s horizons for future customers while reinforcing Canada’s role at the forefront of innovative, deployable advanced nuclear energy solutions,” MacQuarrie said.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Fusion company inks deal with Hanford area development group

Staff Reports

Friday, October 16, 2026

Seattle-based Avalanche Energy Designs, a fusion energy developer, signed an agreement last week with the Tri-City Development Council to cooperate on building a plant capable of manufacturing fusion power devices in Richland, Wash.

Richland is nestled next to the Department of Energy’s sprawling Hanford Site.

A big hurdle with fusion is that the power produced can be less than the power going into the device. Right now, there are dozens of fusion development projects using different technologies, according to the Department of Homeland Security. No commercially viable fusion reactors are currently producing electricity.

Avalanche believes it is on track to solve that problem with its technology by 2030. Avalanche wants to build fusion devices of between 100 kilowatts and 5 megawatt at its future Richland plant to sell around the world.

The actual site in Richland has not been nailed down yet.

Avalanche already has a subsidiary, FusionWERX, in northern Richland. FusionWERX tests equipment that the company is developing for its fusion technology.

Avalanche picked the Tri-Cities because of its population of nuclear and energy scientists, engineers and technicians. Northern Richland is also home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Washington State University’s Tri-Cities campus.

In a joint press release with TRIDEC, Robin Langtry, CEO of Avalanche Energy, said:. “The success of FusionWERX demonstrated that this community has the talent, infrastructure, technical expertise and collaborative spirit required to advance breakthrough energy technologies. Establishing our first global manufacturing facility here is the natural next step. We envision a world-class manufacturing center that can produce hundreds of fusion machines each year.”

In the same press release, TRIDEC President Karl Dye said: “This opportunity is about much more than constructing a manufacturing facility. It is about building an ecosystem where research, innovation, manufacturing, workforce development and economic opportunity reinforce one another.

Two fusion device ventures exist in Washington. Everett-based Helion Energy is developing a different fusion technology than Avalanche. It is building what it hopes to be the world’s first fusion plant in the village of Malaga in central Washington. Helion is aiming to have a commercially viable fusion plant before the end of this decade.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission currently does not regulate fusion devices.

That could change soon. Last year, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission sent a report to Congress on how it should license fusion devices.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Fusion company inks deal with Hanford area economic development group

Staff Reports

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Richland is nestled next to the Department of Energy’s sprawling Hanford Site.

The actual site in Richland has not been nailed down yet.

Avalanche already has a subsidiary, FusionWERX, in northern Richland. FusionWERX tests equipment that the company is developing for its fusion technology.

Avalanche picked the Tri-Cities because of its huge population of nuclear and energy scientists, engineers and technicians. Northern Richland is also home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Washington State University’s Tri-Cities campus. S

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

BWXT’s reactor chosen for Canadian microreactor project

Exchange Monitor

Friday, October 9, 2026

BWXT Canada and Kinectrics, BWXT’s recently acquired subsidiary, will also provide its workforce for the project, according to the release.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Round Up: DOE issues reactor cladding grant opportunity; Bechtel, University of South Carolina form workforce program; NANO taps Charlton as VP of fuel technology and Amentum opens HQ in Oak Ridge

Exchange Monitor

Friday, October 9, 2026

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy released a $50 million grant opportunity this week to research and develop a reactor cladding material in an effort to improve component quality while lowering costs.

The Office of Nuclear Energy said the silicon carbide material is a “promising” fuel cladding material for advanced fuel and is putting up to $50 million funding over three years to assist in research for it. The work will result in “the fabrication of 12-foot silicon carbide cladding fuel rods for irradiation testing in research reactors,” according to the Tuesday press release.

Interested groups in the research and development of the silicon carbide cladding grant opportunities are encouraged to apply for it by Dec. 7, DOE said. Jeff Rigby will be the point of contact for the grant and can be reached at rigbyja@id.doe.gov.

Bechtel and the University of South Carolina partnered together to build a nuclear workforce development program at the university and create a fund for the program.

The workforce development program will support the University of South Carolina’s Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing’s proposed nuclear innovation center, according to Bechtel’s Tuesday press release. This partnership comes a week after Westinghouse signed a workforce development deal with the university.

“Bechtel is proud to partner with the University of South Carolina because of its ability to bring together industry, educators, and workforce partners,” Dena Volovar, president of Bechtel’s nuclear, security & environmental business, said.This kind of collaboration is essential to building the talent pipeline required for the next generation of nuclear projects.”

NANO Nuclear hired former Y-12 National Security Complex chief scientist Jennifer Charlton to be the company’s vice president of fuel technology Tuesday.

Charlton, who worked nearly 20 years in the nuclear materials and fuel-cycle technology sector, will assume the responsibility of overseeing NANO’s fuel cycle management, according to NANO’s press release. She will also lead the design, engineering and development of the company’s technologies, primarily focusing on uranium conversion, deconversion and fuel fabrication.

“NANO Nuclear’s strategic focus on building capabilities across key areas of the nuclear fuel cycle is an important part of supporting its long-term microreactor deployment strategy,” Charlton said. “I’m excited to join the team at this important stage of its growth and leverage my experience leading complex technical initiatives to help advance this strategy and strengthen NANO Nuclear’s capabilities across the fuel cycle.”

With dignitaries such as U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) on hand, Amentum Thursday formally opened what it calls its Global Nuclear headquarters in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The offices at 151 Lafayette Drive will house more than 150 staff and serve as a hub for Amentum’s international nuclear operations as well as providing the company a base for the expanding nuclear business in East Tennessee, according to the news release. Amentum is also lead partner for United Cleanup Oak Ridge, the Department of Energy remediation contractor for the Oak Ridge site.

Amentum also used the occasion to announce a scholarship program with Roane State Community College and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to bolster the region’s nuclear workforce pipeline.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

DOE, NASA sign new MOU to continue work on nuclear-powered space research

Exchange Monitor

Friday, October 9, 2026

The Department of Energy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) Thursday, deepening the interagency effort to apply nuclear technology for space.

The MOU, titled “Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion,” establishes a framework for work on “space nuclear development, spanning advanced research and fuel production to rigorous testing, launch integration, and operations,” according to NASA’s press release. The framework will become effective on Nov. 1, NASA said.

This document doubles down on President Donald Trump’s “Ensuring American Space Superiority” Executive Order from December 2025. The order called for NASA to lead efforts to return to the moon by 2028 and deploy a lunar nuclear reactor as soon as 2030. DOE also signed another MOU with NASA in January to collaborate on those efforts.

“This pivotal agreement fortifies existing collaborations on fission and radioisotope power systems, propelling NASA’s vision for a sustained human presence on the Moon and accelerating the breakthrough technologies to enable our mission,” NASA said.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman signed the document at the Golden Age Summit, hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology, held in Washington, D.C.

“We are entering the ‘Nuclear NASA-era,’ which represents a major transformation for space exploration,” Isaacman said in the release. “Nuclear power will allow us to go farther, operate longer, and field more capable spacecraft and instruments than ever before.”

DOE and NASA have already been planning for the Space Reactor-1 Freedom, which is aimed to be launched and reaching Mars by 2028, and the Lunar Reactor-1, which is a fission surface power system aimed to power a moon base by 2030. NASA released another draft request for proposals (RFPs) for Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) pertaining to the Lunar Reactor-1 in late August, to which the response date of the RFP closed in late September.

The White House released a memorandum in April detailing the timeline and approach NASA, DOE and the Pentagon should pursue to meet their respective space-related goals.

In addition to fission-powered reactor systems, NASA also has an interest in radioisotope-powered systems. In NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan, the space agency looks to explore “a Multi‑Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator and 24 Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Units to power and warm the car‑sized rotorcraft,” according to the release.

The Dragonfly mission looks to explore Saturn’s moon Titan and discover if it could be inhabitable. The mission is expected to launch in 2028.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Newsom signs two nuclear energy-related bills to advance new nuclear in California

Exchange Monitor

Friday, October 9, 2026

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed two state bills into law on Sept. 30 that focus on exploring the viability of advanced nuclear fission and fusion.

The first bill, Assembly Bill 2647, introduced by California Assembly member Lisa Calderon (D), is aimed towards conducting a study on the potential role of advanced reactors in meeting the state’s clean energy goals. The second one, Senate Bill 925, introduced by California State Senator Jerry McNerney (D), focuses on developing a commercial fusion strategy in the state.

Both bills have deadlines for when the respective studies and strategies will be completed. In Assembly Bill 2647, the California Energy Commission is required to provide an assessment of the advanced nuclear energy by Jan. 1, 2028. This assessment would include the evaluation of advanced reactor technologies, nuclear fuel storage and handling and environmental impacts.

Calderon previously sought to repeal California’s longstanding nuclear moratorium by exempting advanced reactors from the ban. However, the previous bill would have faced an uphill battle due to the state’s concern with nuclear waste management. Instead, the bill looks to be the stepping stone to reconsider building new nuclear power plants in the state, Calderon said.

In a Sept. 30 press release, Calderon applauded Newsom’s decision to sign the bills into law as California is slowly reconsidering its stance on nuclear power under Newsom.

“I appreciate the Governor’s leadership in signing AB 2647. Advanced nuclear technology could help meet California’s long-term electricity needs,” Calderon said in the release.

Calderon continued, “Fifty years ago, California made a choice based on the technologies and needs of that era. Today, we face an entirely different reality. Our grid needs firm clean power. Our families and businesses need affordable electricity. AB 2647 gives us the information to make a new choice, based on the technologies and needs of our century.”

As for Senate Bill 925, the California Energy Commission will also be tasked with developing a strategic strategy for the potential deployment of fusion technologies by Dec. 31, 2028. California has a state goal of generating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.

For fusion energy, the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory became the first lab to achieve fusion ignition in December 2022. Since then, California has taken an interest in implementing fusion into energy fusion. Last year, the California Energy Commission launched the Fusion Research and Development Innovation initiative to advance efforts to commercialize fusion energy.

“Today, we continue our work to grow quantum and fusion technologies in our state — creating a stronger framework and workforce to the infrastructure needed to support it,” Newsom said in a release. “Through cutting-edge research and continued investments, we are moving past what is possible, and instead shaping what comes next.”

Though California still has its nuclear moratorium in place, Newsom and state legislators have sought to keep the remaining nuclear power, Diablo Canyon, afloat. In 2022, Newsom signed a law to extend the operations of Diablo Canyon to 2029 and 2030. Since then, the plant received a 20-year license extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in April.

Additionally, DOE awarded $271 million to Pacific Gas & Electric, Diablo Canyon’s owner and operator, to support the continued operations of the plant in August. Though Diablo Canyon received federal approval to operate until 2044 and 2045, the state regulation only allows it to operate until 2029 and 2030. This leaves the state in a position where it must reconsider its initial timeline to allow the plant to operate into the 2040s timeframe.

Advanced Nuclear & SMRs

Newsom signs two nuclear energy-related bills to advance new nuclear in California

Exchange Monitor

Monday, October 5, 2026

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed two state bills into law on Sept. 30 that focus on exploring the viability of advanced nuclear fission and fusion there.

Both bills have deadlines for when their respective studies and strategies will be completed. In Assembly Bill 2647, the California Energy Commission is required to provide an assessment of the advanced nuclear energy by Jan. 1, 2028. This assessment would include the evaluation of advanced reactor technologies, nuclear fuel storage and handling and environmental impacts.

“Today, we continue our work to grow quantum and fusion technologies in our state — creating a stronger framework and workforce to the infrastructure needed to support it,” Newsom said in a Sept. 30 press release. “Through cutting-edge research and continued investments, we are moving past what is possible, and instead shaping what comes next.”

International

U.S., South Korea advance efforts to build eight large reactors

Exchange Monitor

Sunday, October 4, 2026

The United States and South Korean governments reached a $120 billion investment agreement on Sept. 30, collaborating on building eight large-scale reactors in the United States.

The initiative, named Project Power, involves efforts from both governments, Westinghouse, Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. Under the project’s framework, the two countries will build six of Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactors and two of South Korea’s APR1400 reactors, the Department of Commerce said in a press release.

For the project’s funding, the Department of Commerce said, “Funding allocated under Project Power totals $120 billion out of $200 billion. Of the $120 billion, $100 billion is slated for construction costs (overnight costs) and $20 billion for contingency reserves. These reserves are counted toward the investment amount.”

The U.S. and South Korea have agreed to work together to transfer a $10 billion payment in advance by the end of the year to ensure that the eight large-scale reactors are built. Much of that $10 billion payment will go towards buying long lead components, according to the release.

The two countries continue to deepen their strategic global partnership as this agreement progresses a trade deal they signed last July and a memorandum of understanding they signed last November.

This international agreement builds on the Donald Trump administration’s goal to have at least 10 large reactors under construction by 2030. The goal was laid out in Executive Order 14302.

Earlier this year, the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing issued a $17.5 billion loan to facilitate the supply chain to support the construction of 10 AP1000 reactors, since Westinghouse’s reactor technology is the only Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed in the country at the time.

International

North Korea tests new missile system, continues to beef up nuclear capabilities

Exchange Monitor

Thursday, September 24, 2026

North Korea launched what are believed to be two short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern coast Sunday, with state media later describing the test as a demonstration of a new weapons system as Pyongyang continues to expand its missile and nuclear capabilities.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the first missile was launched from the Wonsan area at about 3 p.m. local time and traveled roughly 450 kilometers. A second was launched nearly three hours later and flew more than 600 kilometers, according to South Korean officials. Japan’s Defense Ministry also assessed the projectiles as ballistic missiles and said they fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

North Korea on Tuesday said leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of what state media called a new combat weapons system demonstrating “ultra-modern” defense technology. The report did not specify the weapon’s type, although photographs released by Pyongyang appeared to show a missile designated Hwasongpho-11Ma-1. Analysts have associated the system with an upgraded short-range ballistic missile potentially incorporating a hypersonic glide vehicle.

The launches came days after Pyongyang criticized U.S.-led military exercises in the region. On Monday, the foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea and Japan agreed to coordinate on peace, stability and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in an Aug. 28 report North Korea also built a new uranium enrichment facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. The international nuclear watchdog also said in April that North Korea was making a “very serious increase” to progress its nuclear weapons complex.

International

Democrats move to block U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement

Exchange Monitor

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Congressional Democrats have introduced a resolution seeking to block a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation agreement, citing concerns about uranium enrichment and limits on international inspections.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.), introduced the joint resolution of disapproval Sept. 17, shortly before lawmakers left Washington ahead of the November midterm elections.

The proposed resolution comes during a 90-day congressional review period for the agreement, which was formally transmitted to Congress in August under Section 123 of the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. If Congress does not pass a resolution of disapproval, the agreement will take effect after the review period.

In the other chamber, Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced their own joint resolution. The Senators also said in a Sept. 16 statement they both led a “bipartisan group of Senators” to press the Donald Trump administration into publicly releasing text, which has never been classified in past agreements, accompanying the nuclear agreement.

The agreement, called a 123 agreement, would facilitate U.S. participation in Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program, potentially involving tens of billions of dollars in nuclear energy projects and the construction of AP1000 reactors.

A 123 agreement, otherwise called the “gold standard” nuclear agreement, is a legal framework that calls for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and another country, requiring a commitment to nuclear nonproliferation between both parties in order for the United States to export nuclear material, according to the State Department.

The agreement has drawn scrutiny because it does not explicitly prohibit Saudi Arabia from pursuing uranium enrichment or spent-fuel reprocessing, both terms usually required in 123 agreements. It also provides for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards focused on declared nuclear facilities rather than the broader access associated with the IAEA’s Additional Protocol.

International

IAEA resolves longstanding Syria nuclear safeguards questions

Exchange Monitor

Thursday, September 17, 2026

The International Atomic Energy Agency has resolved outstanding safeguards questions concerning Syria’s past nuclear activities after Damascus provided the agency with access and information, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Sept. 14.

Grossi told the IAEA’s General Conference in Vienna that the development resolves a safeguards matter that had remained open for nearly two decades and follows increased cooperation between the agency and Syria.

“A year ago, I informed the General Conference of my meeting in Damascus with President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, which had just taken place,” Grossi said in his statement. “The tide was beginning to turn on a serious safeguards matter that had been unresolved for almost two decades.”

Grossi said he visited the Dair Alzour site in Syria last month. The IAEA previously assessed that a building destroyed there in 2007 was “very likely a nuclear reactor under construction” that Syria was required to declare under its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty safeguards agreement.

“Today, I can tell you that, having received the necessary access and information from Syria and having evaluated the safeguards-relevant information available to us, the agency has been able to clarify and resolve its questions concerning the outstanding safeguards issues related to Syria’s past nuclear activities,” Grossi said.

Grossi credited the development to “Syria’s transparency and cooperation” as well as the IAEA’s work.

The Dair Alzour facility was destroyed in September 2007, and the IAEA has spent years seeking clarification about the site and other undeclared nuclear activities in Syria.

The development comes as the IAEA faces significant challenges in its safeguards work elsewhere in the region. Grossi said the agency has been unable to conduct in-field verification activities in Iran for more than six months, while warning that its lack of information about Iranian nuclear material represents a “serious proliferation concern.”

International

Wright: U.S. would supply nuclear fuel to Iran if issues resolved

Exchange Monitor

Thursday, September 17, 2026

The United States would be willing to provide nuclear fuel to Iran if Tehran resolves concerns surrounding its nuclear program, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, potentially offering a path for civilian nuclear cooperation.

Wright reportedly told Bloomberg that the U.S. could provide Iran with nuclear fuel from outside the country. He tied the proposal to resolving the dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities and said doing so could allow Tehran to reengage with the international community.

Wright also told the IAEA’s General Conference in Vienna, Austria on Monday that Iran’s lack of transparency and failure to abide by the NPT-required safeguards has been “unacceptable.” Wright said that the country has two choices: “continued defiance and isolation, or cooperation and a path toward greater security, prosperity, and integration with the international community.”

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed to most commercial shipping.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also been unable to fully verify Iran’s nuclear activities and has raised concerns about Tehran’s cooperation with inspectors. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a speech Monday that the agency has gone more than six months without in-field verification in Iran.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned last week the U.S. could strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site, an underground complex near the Natanz nuclear facility, if Tehran continues activity there.

Wright’s comments also come after he said earlier this month that a new nuclear agreement with Iran might not ultimately be reached.

The offer to supply nuclear fuel could provide Iran with access to civilian nuclear fuel while limiting the need for domestic fuel-cycle capabilities, although Wright did not specify what conditions Washington would require as part of such an arrangement.

The U.S. has maintained that Iran must not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful.

International

Wright: U.S. would supply nuclear fuel to Iran if issues resolved

Exchange Monitor

Monday, September 14, 2026

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed to most commercial shipping.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned last week the U.S. could strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site, an underground complex near the Natanz nuclear facility, if Tehran continues activity there.

Wright’s comments also come after he said earlier this month that a new nuclear agreement with Iran might not ultimately be reached.

The U.S. has maintained that Iran must not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful.

By ExchangeMonitor

First Phase of Breeder Rod Shipments from Dounreay to Sellafield Done

Sellafield Limited Awards £20 Million Container Contract to Tata Steel

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