|
Greetings!
In this week’s issue, we offer a summary of the progress report on the American nuclear renaissance that recently was offered to the Senate. We spotlight the advancement of a new U.S. bill that aims to boost nuclear energy collaboration in Europe in the face of Russia’s influence in the sector. Finally, we highlight key nuclear technology, security, and geopolitical developments, reports, and analyses.
This issue of Nuclear News and Views was produced by PGS Program Director, Patrick Kendall, and Della Ratta Energy and Global Security Fellows, Mackenzie Hansen, Gabriela Zanko, and Cate Donovan.
| | Congressional Progress Report on the American Nuclear Renaissance | | |
A longer version of this article was published by The Center for the National Interest and it can be found here.
The U.S. Congress is largely responsible for laying the groundwork for what has now emerged as a potential American nuclear energy renaissance. This is a response to many domestic and geopolitical factors including the need for energy security and the rapidly rising demand for electricity.
So, it was timely that the Senate recently took stock of how far this process has come, with a focus on results from the Trump administration’s cluster bomb of nuclear energy executive orders (EOs) issued last May. What it learned is that there is a lot of activity generated by the EOs but little tangible new commercial result.
- No new commercial reactors are under construction or contract in the U.S.
- Next-generation small reactors are frantically pushing forward with development but there is a long way to go before any are ready for the market.
- Bottlenecks have developed in providing nuclear fuel for large and small reactors.
- Ensuring robust supply chains and developing a skilled workforce is a significant challenge.
- The inability to tame reactor construction cost overruns remains a major stumbling block to deployment at scale.
- While Russia and China race ahead with nuclear exports the U.S. lags but has gained some ground.
Reactor Restarts & Uprates: The most successful element in the rebirth of nuclear power in America is the restart of shuttered reactors and the extended life and additional power output of operating reactors.
The highlights include the Crane Restart project at Three Mile Island, that will add 835 Megawatts (MW) of energy and the restart of the Palisades reactor in Michigan, providing another 800 MW. Both will be ready in the next two years. The Duane Arnold reactor in Iowa may also be restarted which would surge another 615 MW to the grid.
The Department of Energy (DoE) projects that the restart of shuttered reactors and the power uprating of operating units will add additional 5 Gigawatts (GW) by 2029 but there are questions about whether the grid will be ready for these new connections.
New AP-1000 Fleet: The Trump executive orders sought “10 new large reactors with complete designs under construction by 2030.” The administration then ponied up $800 million for the construction of ten Westinghouse AP-1000s. But since then, little progress has been made. There is no site selection, no utility partner, and no construction or plan.
The AP-1000 is the only American reactor that is licensed, has been constructed in the U.S. and abroad, and is ready for deployment now. But the administration has become irritated with the lack of progress, and is looking at alternative technologies including the GE Hitachi ABWR and South Korea’s APR-1400. But the ABWR was built in single digit numbers in Asia and hasn’t been constructed in 20 years. And if the administration selected Korean technology for the U.S. market over Westinghouse, it likely would create a fierce political backlash.
Construction Costs: Taming reactor construction cost overruns is central to the success of the Trump nuclear strategy. Lack of a financial backstop is sidelining investment. But this issue was not addressed in the EOs, and the U.S. government is wary of assuming the primary role. One approach is provided in the Senate’s Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) bill, which offers a limited government cost share, but it’s fate is uncertain.
Advanced Reactors & Fuel: Next-generation small reactors and the higher-enriched (HALEU) fuel they need for testing and ultimate operation is a top priority. The U.S. has been investing in rebuilding domestic uranium enrichment capability to produce both low-enriched fuel for large reactors and HALEU. But achieving industrial scale uranium enrichment is years away despite significant government support.
There is a plethora of small nuclear reactor technologies under development, but the headline is the deadline in the Trump executive orders for three reactors to “hit criticality before America’s 250th anniversary.” Several companies in this competition will undoubtably reach this goal, but most may only produce cold fission, which does not reach operating temperature or produce power. After the anniversary celebration considerable additional work is required to bring these new reactors to commercialization.
Regulatory Jurisdiction: Under the Trump EOs and existing law, DoE and DoD can provide oversight of reactors under development on federal land. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves reactors for commercial use. But the Senate learned that there are “gaps and ambiguities” between the agencies authorities that are creating jurisdictional “friction”. This is particularly a challenge if commercial-scale reactors are built on federal land to support AI data centers and defense applications, something under consideration.
Workforce: There is a pressing need to create a more robust American supply chain of materials and workers. To achieve 400 GW of nuclear energy by mid-century, “tens of thousands” of workers and a rebuilt industrial base are required. The Trump EO created remedial programs and the scaling of U.S. nuclear energy will depend on their success.
Nuclear Exports: In response to the unabated nuclear construction and exports by Russia and China, the Trump EOs call for 20 new bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements to expand the market for American nuclear exports.
In general, while the U.S. is playing catch up on nuclear exports, this is one area of the nuclear revitalization agenda that has real deals and momentum. The AP-1000 has been selected by Poland, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. If Saudi Arabia and the U.S. reach a nuclear cooperation agreement it likely would include the AP-1000. The NuScale SMR and the GE Vernona Hitachi BWRX-300 have been embraced by foreign nations including Romania, Poland, Canada, and Japan. And Holtec’s SMR-300 has cleared a critical regulatory review in the U.K.
| | Ken Luongo, President Partnership for Global Security | | | | |
Spotlight
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced a bill that is meant to increase U.S. collaboration with Europe on nuclear energy development. The legislation aims to combat Russia’s malign influence in the sector by spending $30 million per year from 2025 to 2029 to help build up nuclear projects and support early-stage development. The bill also calls for a detailed analysis of each European country’s nuclear power program, including their current partnerships and how much they rely on Russian technology.
Bolstering nuclear energy cooperation has become a major priority for the United States and the European Union since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Several European countries have found themselves dependent on both Russian reactor technology and enriched uranium fuel. That has led countries such as the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Ukraine to forge partnerships with U.S. companies like Westinghouse Electric for the construction of new nuclear reactors and fuel. In 2025, the European Commission published a roadmap aiming to end all nuclear energy imports from Russia by the end of 2027.
| | Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security | | Issues of Special Interest | | Global AI and Data Center Energy | | The Japanese government plans to launch a new corporation to boost startups in the technology field including artificial intelligence and nuclear fusion. Through the organization, the government intends to offer support for everything from research and development to commercialization. The agency will also be responsible for operating Global Startup Campus, a hub for creating new businesses that will open on state-owned land in central Tokyo in 2029 or later. | | The Impact of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine on International Nuclear Affairs | | Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers passed an order to commence the construction of a nuclear fuel production facility in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine. Ukrainian nuclear agency Energoatom says construction of this facility will be an important step towards the country’s energy independence from Russia after ending the use of Russian nuclear fuel in 2022. In July of last year, Energoatom signed a cooperation agreement with Westinghouse for a joint project to pursue nuclear fuel assembly in Ukraine, seeking to diversify its fuel supply and ultimately create a complete nuclear fuel cycle. | | Global Nuclear Developments, Geopolitics, & Governance | | |
The governor of the Smolensk Oblast, Vasily Anokhin, held a working meeting to discuss the coordination of joint efforts on the Smolensk-2 Nuclear Power Plant with the participation of Belarusian partners. The meeting was attended by Smolensk power plant managers, regional government representatives, and Belarusian firms with experience working on nuclear facilities. Under Russia’s proposed nuclear program, two VVER-1200 units are planned for the next phase of the Smolensk plant and will be commissioned in 2033 and 2035 respectively.
Unit 1 of the Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant has begun pilot operations using accident-tolerant mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies. During a scheduled refueling, three innovative REMIX fuel assemblies were loaded into the VVER-1000 reactor core which feature a mixture of reprocessed uranium and plutonium from used nuclear fuel. The fuel would allow Russian reactors to reuse irradiated fuel and help Russia’s efforts in closing its nuclear fuel cycle.
| | |
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced that it had completed tests to check the integrity of the containment structure at unit 3 of the Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant. The two-part tests, which simulate pressure conditions under a design baseline accident, confirm that the containment vessel meets design and construction quality requirements enforced to prevent radioactive leakage in case of an incident. Unit 3 is scheduled to be connected to the grid in 2027.
The reactor pressure vessel for Lianjiang Nuclear Power Plant’s unit 2 was successfully hoisted into place. Lianjiang nuclear power plant is located in China's Guangdong province. Construction of the first two units was approved by China's State Council in September 2022 and commenced in September 2023 for unit 1 and in April 2025 for unit 2. Unit 1’s reactor pressure vessel was installed in February 2025, and the unit is expected to be put into operation in 2028.
China's National Nuclear Safety Administration is instructing industry to boost safety measures after identifying over 200 cases of defective construction between 2011 and 2024. Cases include issues with the thickness and curvature of main piping systems in AP1000s at the Sanmen nuclear plant in and the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant, deformation of a spare tank containing reactor cooling water, and leaks from heat transfer tubes in steam generators detected during water pressure tests conducted 2011 at Ningde Nuclear Power Plant.
| | |
Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) has signed a $399 million contract with an Amentum and Cavendish Nuclear joint venture to support the deployment of Rolls-Royce SMR’s small modular reactors at Wylfa in Wales. The joint venture, Litmus Nuclear, will deliver assurance and technical guidance across critical areas, including design, safety, engineering, and construction, and the agreement also aims to ensure the program meets all regulatory requirements. The British government selected Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred technology for the country’s first SMRs in 2025.
British regulators concluded that Holtec International’s SMR-300 design can be built, operated, and decommissioned in a manner that is safe and secure. The completion of Step 2 of the United Kingdom’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA) is a crucial step for the development and deployment of a nuclear reactor model, involving a comprehensive regulatory assessment that examined the fundamental adequacy of Holtec’s SMR design. Holtec is planning on developing its SMR-300 reactors at the former Cottam coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire.
The European Commission has launched an in-depth investigation into whether France’s planned government support for its nuclear program is within the European Union’s rules on state aid. In its announcement, the Commission said the proposed French government support would be in the form of a subsidized loan at a preferential rate, covering 60% of the estimated construction costs, as well as a two-way contract for difference to provide stable revenue. France plans to build six new EPR2 reactors with commissioning targeted between 2038 and 2044 and a total estimated construction cost of $84.4 billion.
French nuclear company Framatome signed a long-term cooperation agreement with four European utilities to develop its VVER-440 nuclear fuel design: the Czech Republic’s CEZ, Hungary’s MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Slovakia’s Slovenské elektrárne, and Finland’s Fortum. The initial phase of the project focuses on the design of the VVER-440 fuel assembly and its associated transport container. The fuel will be manufactured at Framatome’s facilities in France and Germany, and the introduction of the first fuel assemblies is planned for 2028.
Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe (PEJ) has submitted an application to Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency for a construction permit for the country’s first nuclear power plant. PEJ noted that more than 200 experts from various fields worked on the application and submitted it six months ahead of the scheduled deadline in the project’s timeline. The Polish government selected Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor technology for the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site, with the first reactor scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2036.
Poland’s Synthos Green Energy, construction engineering firm Polimex Mostostal, and engineering consultant ATEC Group signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the development and deployment of BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMR) in Central and Eastern Europe. These activities will include identifying areas of cooperation and assessing the companies’ organizational capabilities and competencies in the context of building nuclear projects. The first BWRX-300 SMR is currently being built in Darlington, Canada, with other units being planned in the United States and United Kingdom.
Swedish engineering and project management company AFRY has entered into a non-exclusive collaboration with GE Vernova Hitachi to support the deployment of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology. Through the Main Services Agreement, AFRY will deliver engineering and advisory services and support GE Hitachi in the development of a license application for the BWRX-300 to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. The collaboration is expected to enable Swedish industries to participate in opportunities linked to the growing European and global SMR market.
The Norwegian Nuclear Commission has recommended that the government not start a process for nuclear power development at this stage but clarified that it should prepare for its possible future use. The Commission’s report said it will take at least 20 years to establish nuclear power production in Norway due to the time needed to develop the necessary regulations and establish nuclear governance infrastructure. The Norwegian government appointed the commission in 2024 to conduct a broad review and assessment of the future establishment of nuclear power in the country.
AFRY Management Consulting Oy submitted a study to the Finnish Minister of Climate and the Environment on the options, costs, and electricity market impacts of promoting nuclear energy production. The study says the construction of an additional 2.4 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity will reduce the annual average price of electricity by about $5.8 to $8.1 per megawatt hour between the years of 2040 and 2060. The Finnish government commissioned AFRY in November to examine the use of nuclear energy in both electricity and heat production.
Bulgaria has issued a certificate confirming that its national repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste is ready for commissioning. A 23-member state acceptance commission completed that the project complies with the construction permits and the requirements for construction, with the State Enterprise for Radioactive Waste (SERAW) now waiting to receive a permit to use the facility and a commissioning permit. Bulgaria currently operates the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant and has plans to build two additional reactors there.
| | |
South Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) has given approval for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to restart Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 which has been offline since 2023. The NSSC completed inspections and confirmed the reactor can be restarted after initially approving the continued operation of the reactor in November of last year. KHNP is currently submitting safety assessment reports for the continued operation of nine other nuclear power units whose operating licenses expire before 2030.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Comprehensive Cooperation across the Nuclear Fuel Cycle with French nuclear fuel cycle company Orano. The companies’ strategy is to strengthen mid-to-long-term fuel supply stability and resilience through cooperation on new production facilities. The signing took place within the context of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to South Korea.
India’s government has initiated a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction at the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and will move into the second stage of the three-stage nuclear program. The 500 megawatts-electrical (MWe) PFBR at the Kalpakkam site attained first criticality on April 6, marking a significant step toward strengthening India’s long-term energy security and potentially achieving the goal of a closed fuel cycle using the country’s thorium resources. The PFBR was developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Energy, with India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board granting permission for the first approach to criticality in 2024.
India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board approved the start of construction activities for the Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2. The permission has been issued to joint venture Ashvini for the 700 MWe pressurized heavy water reactors planned at the power plant, with construction consent issued for all four planned units at the Mahi Banswara plant last year. This project is part of India’s fleet mode initiative to build ten identical 700 MWe reactors at various locations throughout the country.
Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) submitted a plan to the Nuclear Safety Council for the restart of the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant. The power plant’s two units were taken offline in 2024 and 2025 respectively following the expiry of their 40-year operating licenses, but Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed an amendment last year allowing nuclear power plant operators to apply for a 20-year license renewal beyond the existing 40-year limit. Taiwan’s government previously sought to phase out the country’s nuclear power sector.
Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant completed the boron flushing of the first unit’s primary circuit piping systems, which is one of the key stages of preparation for the first criticality test. The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be Bangladesh’s first nuclear facility and is being built in collaboration with Rosatom. Construction of the first unit began in 2017, and the first batch of nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in 2023.
| | The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) launched an Expression of Interest process through which it aims to identify technology partners capable of advancing small modular reactor (SMR) technology that can produce power, process heat, and isotopes. The process will enable Necsa to assess existing capabilities and financing models to fulfil its nuclear industrialization objectives and will serve as a precursor to a formal competitive bid. The launch follows the release of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan, issued in October 2025, which set targets for 5,200 MW of new nuclear capacity by 2039 and SMR demonstrations by 2032. | | |
Rosatom has evacuated an additional 200 people from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran, having evacuated 400 in the weeks prior. Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said up to 50 volunteers will stay at the Bushehr plant to ensure the operability of equipment and vital functions. Rosatom has said that the plant itself has not been damaged although the IAEA reported that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr Power Plant, which was the fourth such incident in recent weeks. Bushehr is Iran’s only civilian nuclear power facility, with a capacity of 1,000 MWe. It houses 72 metric tons of nuclear fuel and 210 metric tons of spent fuel.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, raised concerns over the safety of Iran’s nuclear power facilities in the face of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Tedros reiterated the IAEA’s warning that a strike could trigger a nuclear accident, especially after attacks struck near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and several petrochemical hubs.
| | |
Russia’s Rosatom Uranium One Group and Nucleo Brasil Energia Participações (NBEP) signed an agreement to establish a joint venture to implement critical mineral exploration and extraction projects in Brazil. Through the joint venture, called Nadina Minerals, Rosatom and NBEP plan to obtain permits, conduct geological exploration at promising deposits, and build modern facilities for the extraction and processing of metals critical to the development of high-tech industries. Rosatom already collaborates with Brazil to conduct conversion services of Brazilian uranium and to provide enriched uranium for fuel production at the Angra Nuclear Power Plant.
NANO Nuclear submitted a private proposal to Argentinian state-owned nuclear company Dioxitek SA for the potential joint development of a natural uranium hexafluoride production facility in Argentina. The submission of the proposal reflects the outcome of their collaborative work, and the preparation and submission of the proposal represent the next step toward potential deployment of a UF6 production capacity. This follows a memorandum of understanding in 2025 which established a framework to assess the current natural uranium conversion capacities.
| | North America Nuclear Collaborations and Policy | | |
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a proposed rule to establish an expedited pathway for advanced reactor designs. The proposed rule will enhance NRC licensing regulations, establish a clear pathway for new reactor applications by leveraging Department of Energy and Defense reactor demonstrations in NRC reviews for commercial licenses. It requires applicants to address any changes from the DoE-authorized design to the commercial reactor version submitted to the NRC. This approach is part of the agency’s implementation of President Donald Trump’s executive order on “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission”.
Constellation Energy will make a request to U.S. energy regulators to accelerate the connection of Three Mile Island’s refurbished Unit 1to the electric grid to synch with the reactor’s restart by the end of 2027. Recent initial feedback from grid operator PJM Interconnection said the site may not be able to connect to the electrical system until 2031. Constellation is working to resume operations at Three Mile Island to deliver electricity for Microsoft’s data centers.
Nuclear startup Antares has received a Documented Safety Analysis from the Department of Energy for its Marko demonstrator facility. Following the Documented Safety Analysis, Antares can begin the Readiness Review Process, which is the final phase before the Department of Energy can approve the reactor’s startup. Antares aims to achieve criticality for the reactor before July of this year. Antares’ project is part of the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program that aims to deploy 400 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott opened a $350 million program to let nuclear energy developers apply for new state funding in order to bring more power generation online and meet the expected surge in demand from data centers. The Texas Senate’s Business and Commerce Committee is holding a hearing to ask regulators and grid managers how they plan to connect large power users to the grid, with Electricity Reliability Council CEO Pablo Vegas stating that large power users have applied to pull 410 gigawatts of electricity from the grid. Texas currently operates two nuclear power plants: South Texas and Comanche Peak.
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte has issued an Executive Order calling for the state’s Department of Energy to explore and advance the development of next-generation nuclear reactors. The order initiates a comprehensive review of regulatory, financial, and market factors affecting nuclear deployment, as well as calling for the creation of a statewide nuclear energy roadmap to guide future development. New Hampshire currently has one nuclear reactor at the Seabrook Power Plant which accounts for about 57% of the state’s electricity generation.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation that would alter the permitting process for new nuclear power facilities in the state and remove the de facto moratorium on new plants. The changes to permits under the Coastal Area Facility Review Act are meant to draw new nuclear generation to the state amid rising electricity prices. Prior New Jersey regulations required the state Department of Environmental Protection to reject permits for new nuclear facilities that did not identify a safe method of disposal which created a de facto moratorium on new nuclear plants in the state.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E) 20-year license renewal for extended operations of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. The approval follows a process through which the agency determined that Diablo Canyon is safe and environmentally sound to operate for another 20 years. In 2022, California lawmakers passed a bill directing Diablo Canyon to run through 2030 for its grid reliability and clean energy supply after previously agreeing to retire both units by 2025.
Westinghouse Electric Company submitted Revision 20 of its AP1000 Design Control Document to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which incorporates lessons learned from the construction of Vogtle units 3 and 4, setting Vogtle 4 as the standard AP1000 reference point for deployment in the United States. The submission is part of the company’s strategic plan to enable a fleet-scale deployment of the AP1000 reactor. Vogtle units 3 and 4 were the first new nuclear units to be built in the United States in more than 30 years, with Vogtle 4 entering commercial operation in 2024.
NANO Nuclear announced the submission of a Construction Permit Application (CPA) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its KRONOS micro-modular reactor. With this submission, NANO Nuclear becomes the first commercially ready microreactor developer and the third commercially ready Generation-IV advanced reactor developer to submit a CPA to the NRC. The KRONOS MMR is set to be built on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the company estimates the formal review period to take approximately 12 months.
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has opened the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed that will enable the rapid development, testing, and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors. Construction of the test bed was accelerated by nearly a year in order to enable the U.S. nuclear industry to meet the goals for advanced nuclear energy. DOME is poised to significantly reduce the time and cost required to deploy next-generation nuclear technologies such as microreactors.
Valar Atomics has raised $450 million in fresh capital bringing the company’s total valuation to $2 billion. Valar aims to build clusters of small nuclear reactors to power sites that consume large amounts of energy such as AI data centers. The startup is part of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. In November of last year, Valar said it was the first venture-backed startup to reach cold criticality.
Holtec International announced the completion of passivation of the primary system at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, bringing it to operating temperature and pressure for the first time since the plant was shut down in 2022. The system will now be cooled and prepared for additional testing, equipment upgrades, and preparations for fuel loading. Holtec has been working to restart the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant since acquiring the facility in 2023, and the company is also advancing plans for the deployment of its SMR-300 units at the site.
Fluor Corporation has entered into a contract with X-energy to support the company’s proposed advanced nuclear project at Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations campus in Texas. Under the agreement, Fluor will deliver Front-End Loading Stage 2 (FEL-2) services, which focuses on project definition, cost control risk, and risk mitigation. The X-energy project proposes to develop four 80-megawatt small modular reactors (SMR) to supply Dow’s Seadrift site, and the project is being supported by the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP).
The Department of Energy has selected two new projects that will pair them with the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in order to expedite the deployment of cutting-edge nuclear technologies. Zeno Power Systems will work with Argonne scientists and engineers to test a new separation method in used-fuel recycling, and NuCube will work with Argonne to verify an autonomous control architecture using a digital twin of its DeccaCell reactor. ANL said these selections are part of the Gateway for Advanced Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) program.
An audit by the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General found that the department mismanaged a nuclear project to construct NuScale’s small modular reactors (SMR) in Idaho. The Carbon Free Power Project was a collaboration between the federal government, NuScale Power, and a coalition of western states’ utilities that would have used from a set of NuScale SMRs constructed at the Idaho National Laboratory. However, the project was canceled in 2023 after cost rose significantly. NuScale and the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems agreed to terminate development.
Orano has completed its license application for a new $5 billion uranium enrichment facility at the Oak Ridge site in Tennessee. The technical portion of the application includes an integrated safety analysis, process safety information, and the analyses addressing criticality and security and safeguards information. Project IKE is a large centrifuge uranium enrichment facility planned for Oak Ridge as Orano aims to expand its global uranium enrichment capacity from 12% to 30%.
Urenco USA has completed the installation and startup of its fourth new cascade of gas centrifuges at its uranium enrichment facility in New Mexico, marking the half-way point of its current U.S. capacity expansion program. The company’s newest cascade began producing low-enriched uranium on March 30 as the company aims to install 700,000 separative work units (SWU) of new capacity at the site between 2025 and 2027. The current capacity program is part of a larger effort by Urenco to install 2.5 million SWU of enrichment capacity globally.
FluxPoint Energy says it is developing what it expects will be the first new uranium conversion facility in the United States in 70 years as part of the company’s mission to establish a fully American nuclear fuel capability. The planned facility will convert uranium oxide into uranium hexafluoride so that it can be used as nuclear fuel. The company said the development of the facility is under way, and that it has secured a project site.
BWX Technologies (BWXT) has notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of its intent to seek a uranium enrichment license for a new production facility in Erwin, Tennessee. The pre-application notification will enable the NRC to plan resources to support its review of the license application. The Erwin facility will be the centerpiece of BWXT’s contract with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and will be the sole source to rebuild a domestic uranium enrichment capacity for U.S. defense fuel needs.
Framatome has reached a major milestone with the successful qualification of the industry’s first ultrasonic weld inspection technique for pressurized water reactor core barrels. Looking ahead, the qualification scope is set to expand in the second quarter of this year, with the next phase supporting emerging industry inspection requirements outlined in the Materials Reliability Program guidelines. The qualification positions Framatome to deliver this advanced ultrasonic testing service across all of its pressurized water reactors in the U.S. operating fleet.
| | Ontario Power Generation (OPG) submitted its application for a license to operate the first BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Darlington New Nuclear Project. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) confirmed receipt and is reviewing for acceptance. Once complete, the Darlington New Nuclear Project will host four BWRX-300 SMRs, with the first unit planned to be connected to the grid by the end of 2030. Site preparation works began in the autumn of 2022, and several long-lead items, including the reactor pressure vessel, have already been procured. | | There are no new updates for this region. | | |
Truce Leaves Questions Over Fate of Iran’s Enriched Uranium
The New York Times, April 8
How Nuclear Batteries Could Speed the Race to Fusion Power
TechCrunch, April 8
India’s Nuclear Leap: Why Its Fast Breeder Reactor Success Matters
Al Jazeera, April 7
How a New Energy Order Could Emerge from the War
Axios, April 7
Can Small Nuclear Reactors Solve EU’s Energy Woes?
DW, April 7
Why U.S. Allies in Asia Are Chasing Nuclear Energy – And Eyeing Nuclear Weapons
Council on Foreign Relations, April 6
New Hampshire and Nuclear Waste Have a Fraught History. The Path Ahead Is Still Unclear.
New Hampshire Bulletin, April 6
A New Oil Shock Accelerates a Return to Nuclear Power
The New York Times, April 6
Nuclear Recycling Has Reached a Prime Moment – And the U.S. May Be Running Out of Time
POWER Mag, April 6
Scaling Advanced Nuclear Power: Picking Winners Now
POWER Mag, April 6
The Maritime Action Plan Could Be a Platform for Nuclear Innovation at Sea
The Atlantic Council, April 2
Acclaimed Physicist and His Daughter Are Burying Tiny Nuclear Reactors A Mile Underground
Forbes, April 2
Building a Domestic Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain
Latitude Media, April 2
What Happened When They Installed ChatGPT on a Nuclear Supercomputer
Vox, April 2
America Must Build – And Illinois Must Lead – the Next Nuclear Era
Westinghouse, April 2
The Race to Build New Nuclear Reactors – Fast
Axios, March 31
Why America Should Lead on Floating Nuclear
The National Interest, March 31
Using AI to Reduce Reactor Licensing Timelines
Neutron Bytes, March 28
Artificial Intelligence Needs Nuclear Power – And Allied Cooperation
The National Interest, March 26
| | |
News items and summaries compiled by:
Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security
Gabriela Zanko, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
Cate Donovan, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
| | For twenty-five years the Partnership for Global Security (PGS) has developed actionable responses to global security challenges by engaging international, private sector, and multidisciplinary expert partners to assess policy needs, identify effective strategies, and drive demonstrable results.
| | | | |
