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Greetings!
In this week’s issue, we provide two infographics describing the Department of Defense’s advanced reactor programs, including a map of possible military installations for deployment of small reactors. We spotlight an article from the Arms Control Association which summarizes a Trump administration non-proliferation report supporting the potential nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. 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.
| | Department of Defense Advanced Reactor Programs | | |
The February 15, 2026 transport of the Valar Atomics Ward 250 microreactor on three U.S. Air Force C-17s from California to Utah received considerable attention and raised the profile of the nuclear reactor development activities of the Department of Defense. While Valar is not a DoD reactor vendor, its collaboration with the Air Force in this case proved that a modern microreactor can be transported by military aircraft.
Traditionally, the Navy has been the military service most associated with nuclear power, as it is used as propulsion in a variety of naval vessels. But the other services have been engaged in nuclear power activities in the past. In recent years, that activity has significantly expanded and now the Army, Air Force, and Office of the Secretary of Defense are all pursuing the development of small nuclear reactors for both military base power and as a transportable power source to support overseas deployments. Much of this work grew out of direction in the FY19 defense bill to identify potential locations to site, construct, and operate a microreactor by the end of 2027. The infographic offers an overview of the major programs.
Project Pele is administered by the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) in collaboration with the Army and Department of Energy (DOE). The goal of the program is to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype for a portable microreactor of 1.5 Mwe power, utilizing TRISO fuel, for deployment at remote military installations. Initial investigations of the technology included the Westinghouse eVinci, X-energy XENITH, and a BWXT microreactor. Ultimately, BWXT won a contract for the mobile reactor design. It broke ground at Idaho National Lab in September 2024. In December 2025, BWXT-manufactured TRISO fuel was delivered to INL.
The Air Force Microreactor Pilot Program, administered in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency Office of Energy, is designed to develop a commercial microreactor of up to 5 MWe power that can be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to deliver electricity and thermal energy to an Air Force or Space Force installation. The goal is to establish a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a third-party vendor, who will construct, own, operate, maintain, and decommission the reactor. Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska was chosen as the initial location to pilot the microreactor. The tentative choice for the project is Oklo’s Aurora Powerhouse liquid metal-cooled fast reactor. The Air Force issued a Notice of Intent to Award this contract pending NRC licensing of the reactor. Oklo is in preapplication activities with the NRC for its commercial Aurora Powerhouse design.
The Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI) program was launched in 2024 as a collaboration between the Defense Innovation Unit and the Army and Air Force. It aims to field commercially available, fixed nuclear microreactor power systems for continuous, reliable power generated on-site at military installations, ideally within a 3-10 MWe capacity range. Participating vendors include Antares Nuclear, BWXT Advanced Technologies, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Kairos Power, Oklo, Radiant Industries, Westinghouse, and X-energy. The project is now in the prototyping phase. The program utilizes Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements and milestone-based contracting vehicles that bypass traditional procurement timelines. To stimulate the domestic commercial advanced nuclear industry and supply chains, regulatory approval is to proceed via civilian NRC pathways, with support from Department of Energy national labs.
The Janus Program is the most recent military microreactor initiative, having been launched in October 2025. It is administered by the Army and the Defense Innovation Unit. It aims to deploy commercially owned and operated microreactors of 1-20 MWe power for use on domestic military installations no later than Sept. 30, 2028. So far, no reactor vendors have been chosen. In November 2025, the Army identified 9 sites for potential deployment which can be seen on the map.
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Cate Donovan, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
Ken Luongo, President, Partnership for Global Security
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Spotlight
The Arms Control Association obtained a report assessing the security implications of a potential nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration signaled the 123 agreement in a November 2024 Fact Sheet that announced a Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation.
The new report contends that the agreement will “advance the national security interests of the United States”, including by denying competitor nations like Russia and China from becoming the Saudi’s nuclear power partner. But critics suggest that the report highlights nonproliferation shortcomings in the agreement and opens the door to some type of Saudi Arabian uranium enrichment program. Among the most significant concerns is that the agreement will not require an intrusive IAEA inspection arrangement known as the “Additional Protocol”. The Additional Protocol was developed to allow IAEA inspectors more authority to investigate undeclared nuclear activities under a safeguards arrangement. The report indicates that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia will develop a bilateral safeguards agreement to supplement IAEA access.
The report reportedly does not address how the United States would respond if Saudi Arabia misuses nuclear technologies and materials transferred under the proposed agreement. This is important because several Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have stated that the country will “follow suit” if Iran develops a nuclear weapon despite the fact that it “does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb.”
The United States and Saudi Arabia have been discussing the prospect of a 123 Nuclear Cooperation Agreement for years, with the uranium enrichment and Additional Protocol issues hampering progress. If the 123 agreement is submitted to the Congress, it will have 90 days of continuous session to evaluate it. After that period, it automatically becomes law unless a joint resolution opposing it is passed.
| | Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security | | Issues of Special Interest | | Global AI and Data Center Energy | | |
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and NVIDIA are partnering to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactors and reduce costs through the use of artificial intelligence. INL and NVIDIA’s collaboration is part of the Genesis Mission, a U.S. initiative to advance the deployment of nuclear energy facilities by using AI to design, license, manufacture, construct, and operate reactors. Among the several initiatives of this mission are AI-powered nuclear design, licensing, manufacturing, construction, data validation, and industry advancement.
NuScale Power will partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to use an artificial intelligence-nuclear design framework to explore how fuel could be more efficiently and effectively managed for a 12-NuScale Power Module configuration. As part of this study, NuScale will collaborate with ORNL to use AI to explore potential options for reducing fuel costs across multiple reactors. The research will be funded by a Department of Energy Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), which is part of the first round of GAIN vouchers awarded in 2026.
| | The Impact of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine on International Nuclear Affairs | | |
As its invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year, Russia continues to violate international nuclear standards and law while ignoring global condemnation of its actions.
Russia’s nuclear regulator, Rostekhnadzor, has granted a 10-year license for operating Unit 2 of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which has been under Russian military control since early 2022. Russian state nuclear company Rosatom says the license shows the unit’s systems, equipment, and staff meet its safety standards and supports future nuclear generation plans. The license follows a similar permit for Unit 1 and comes as Rosatom seeks approval for other reactors at the six-unit facility. All units at Zaporizhzhia were shut down after the war began, and the previous Ukrainian regulatory licenses had been temporarily recognized before Russia issued its own. International inspectors from the IAEA remain present at the site, which sits near active frontline areas, as Kyiv and Moscow disagree on the plant’s legal and operational status.
The IAEA reports that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is now running with only one main external power line after a backup line was lost. The agency continues to monitor nuclear safety and security across Ukraine amid ongoing conflict, following its established safety principles. IAEA teams remain on the ground documenting conditions and assessing risks to nuclear sites. The update issued by the IAEA emphasizes the need to protect critical energy infrastructure that supports essential cooling and safety functions at nuclear facilities.
A report by the Institute for the Study of War claims that Russia could stage a false-flag nuclear or radiological incident in Ukraine and then blame Kyiv to shift attention from its own military setbacks. The Institute for the Study of War suggests Moscow might use such an incident as propaganda to weaken Western support for Ukraine or undermine Ukrainian resolve. Russia has repeatedly struck Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure during the war, increasing the risk of a radiological event. The report notes Russian claims that the UK and France are planning to supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine are unfounded and part of a broader information campaign.
| | Global Nuclear Developments, Geopolitics, & Governance | | Cameco and Kazatomprom each released their uranium production figures for 2025 and their guidance for 2026. Cameco’s total production of 21 million pounds of U3O8 exceeded its revised annual production guidance but was 10% less than 2024’s production of 23.4 million pounds. Some of its primary uranium mines were the Cigar Lake and McArthur River sites. Kazatomprom’s uranium production in 2025 amounted to 67.18 million pounds, which was a year-on-year increase of 10-11% from the previous year. | | |
Russian state nuclear company Rosatom reported that its uranium mining operations met their production targets in 2025 and are now working to broaden the country’s uranium resource base. New licenses have been secured for developing several deposits in Siberia and other regions, and infrastructure is being built to support extraction at additional sites. Rosatom officials said expanding the mineral resource base is essential to supply Russia’s nuclear energy industry as demand grows both domestically and internationally. Plans include completing major capital works at existing deposits over the coming years, with new output expected from these areas starting in the late 2020s.
Researchers have developed a new type of heat-resistant steel designed specifically for use in Russia’s advanced BR-1200 nuclear reactor, aiming to improve the durability and safety of key components. The new alloy shows better resistance to high temperatures, radiation and corrosion, which could extend the service life of reactor parts such as internals and pressure vessels. Developers say this steel could help reduce maintenance needs and lower the overall cost of plant operation by maintaining strength under demanding conditions. Testing has demonstrated that the material performs reliably under simulated reactor environments, giving confidence for its future application.
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Less than one week after achieving a sustained chain reaction, Taipingling Nuclear Power Plant’s Unit 1 connected to the grid and began generating electricity. Operators expect the reactor to enter commercial operation within the first half of 2026. Unit 1 is the first of six Hualong One (HPR-1000, 1116 MWe PWR) reactors planned for the Taipingling plant, which will generate electricity for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
The reactor pressure vessel for unit 6 at the Lufeng Nuclear Power Plant has been hoisted into place. It is the second of two Hualong One units currently under construction at the Lufeng site, with an additional four CAP1000 reactors also planned. China’s State Council approved the construction of Hualong One reactors at the Lufeng Nuclear Power Plant in 2022, with the first concrete poured for Lufeng Unit 6 poured in 2023. Units 5 and 6 are expected to be connected to the grid in 2028 and 2029, respectively.
San’ao nuclear power plant’s Unit 1 reached criticality on February 14. San’ao 1 is expected to enter commercial operations in 2026, 6 years after construction on the power plant began. Once completed, San’ao power plant will host 6 Hualong One reactors that will generate electricity for the Zhejiang Province and Yangtze River Delta, reducing the region’s reliance on coal. The power plant will provide over 54 terawatt hours of electricity annually once every single unit is online.
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French utility company Électricité de France (EDF) announced that operations at the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Plant will start a year later than previously scheduled, costing the firm an additional £2.5 billion. EDF now plans to start the first reactor at Hinkley Point C in 2030 after a series of delays to the project. The project’s cost has also ballooned to £35 billion, nearly double the initial £18 billion estimate. Once operational, Hinkley Point C is expected to generate about 7% of Great Britain’s electricity.
The United Kingdom has accepted TerraPower’s Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor into its Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) said it had been asked to begin the GDA for the Natrium design after the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s review of TerraPower’s application concluded the design was ready to enter the process. TerraPower submitted its GDA application in October of last year and is the first regulatory filing for the Natrium technology in a market outside of the United States. Other companies such as Rolls-Royce SMR, GE Hitachi, and Holtec have also entered their SMR models into the GDA process.
The French government has published its third Multiannual Energy Program, setting out the country’s energy strategy to address the challenges of energy production over the next decade and presenting the trajectory to be followed in terms of energy policy. The latest program sets a nuclear production target of 380 to 420 terawatt hours per year between 2030 and 2035, and it calls for the construction of six new nuclear reactors and the extended operation of the country’s existing nuclear fleet. Other ambitions of the Program include the launch of the construction of 8 additional EPR2 reactors and beginning the construction of a small modular reactor around the beginning of the 2030s.
The United States and Hungary signed a civilian nuclear intergovernmental cooperation agreement during U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio’s meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other senior members of the government. This agreement follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy in November of last year, which launched negotiations on cooperation in deploying small modular reactors (SMR) and handling spent fuel storage. Hungary has historically relied on Russian technology and fuel to power its nuclear power plants, although it is now looking to diversify its nuclear sector.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced concrete steps towards building nuclear power plants in Slovakia as the two countries implement the U.S.-Slovakia intergovernmental agreement on nuclear energy cooperation. The agreement will begin with the United States funding the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for a new Westinghouse large reactor build, which will be carried out under the U.S. State Department’s Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program.
Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson promoted Canada’s CANDU nuclear reactor technology as the best option for Poland’s second nuclear power plant during his visit to Warsaw. Last year, Poland and Canada signed an agreement that provided a legal framework for cooperation on nuclear power. Poland has chosen Westinghouse Electric to build its first nuclear power plant at Lubiatowo-Kopalino and has also started consultations with the United States, France, Canada, and South Korea to select a partner for a second power plant.
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Poland’s Orlen Synthos Green Energy have signed an agreement to create a detailed “generic” design of the BWRX-300 small modular reactor tailored to meet Polish regulatory requirements. The contract, formalized in Washington D.C., will see OSGE invest in this reference design for future SMR projects in Poland. Poland’s energy ministry says having a standardized design will speed up investment preparation, cut costs and bring Polish industry into the nuclear supply chain. The government views this step as laying the foundation for a fleet of BWRX-300 reactors across multiple sites, helping meet growing electricity demand with zero-emission baseload power.
Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Ðedović met with Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev to discuss nuclear energy cooperation and stated that Serbia is ready to establish nuclear ties with other technology providers from whom it can learn. According to the Serbian government’s account of the meeting, Ðedović stated that Serbia’s government plans to approve the formation of the National Nuclear Program Implementation Organization by the end of the month. Serbia’s government recently ended its 35-year prohibition on nuclear energy, with Électricité de France (EDF) contracted to conduct a preliminary study on the potential use of nuclear power in the country.
The Czech Republic and South Korea have established a ministerial steering committee to oversee the progress of additional reactor units at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant. The contracts include one for Energoprojekt Praha to support the permitting and licensing processes, as well as one between Doosan Enerbility and Doosan Škoda Power for the supply of turbines. The Czech government selected Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) in 2024 as the preferred bidder to build two new units at the Dukovany Power Plant, with construction aiming to start in 2029.
The shareholders of Romanian nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica approved the Final Investment Decision for the small modular reactor project at the former Doicești coal plant site. Last December, Romania’s energy minister said that the solution for the full financing of the current development stage had been identified after discussions with shareholders, and the project was then opened to investors. Romania’s SMR project began in 2019 with a memorandum of understanding signed by Nuclearelectrica and NuScale, and the project aims for six modular reactors with a combined capacity of 462 megawatts electrical (MWe).
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob announced the status of work at the JEK2 nuclear power plant project, stating that by the time the referendum is held, the location of the new block, the likely cost of the project, and the technology used will be known. The decision sets out the National Spatial Plan to be followed, with the government expected to decide on the result of the plan in the autumn of 2028. Slovenia’s JEK2 project is for a new one or two-unit nuclear power plant that will be located adjacent to the existing Krško Nuclear Power Plant.
The Croatian government has sent a draft law to the country’s parliament on the development of nuclear energy. The draft law sets out a legal framework for the development of nuclear energy, including a commitment to the start of planning for the development of civilian nuclear power, and a goal of nuclear power generating 30% of the country’s total electricity by 2040. Croatia does not currently have any nuclear power plants, but it is the co-owner of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant with Slovenia.
Spain’s Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio González Galán stated that he expects the company to seek the lifespan extension of all nuclear reactors in Spain following a similar request sent for the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant. Under the existing plan, Spain was pursuing a phase-out of its nuclear fleet beginning in 2027 with the closure of the first unit at the Almaraz Power Plant, with the second reactor set to shut down the following year. However, a major national blackout last year has revived the debate over nuclear power in Spain.
Westinghouse Electric has opened a full-size replica of a control room at its new AP1000 Training Academy in Spain. The control room simulator allows the training of future control room operators in an environment matching an AP1000 control room, which will allow for the certification of operators, system development, and testing. Currently, there are six AP1000 units operating worldwide, and Westinghouse is planning to build 14 or more units across Europe in the coming years.
Finnish consulting company TVO Nuclear Services (TVONS) and Estonia’s Fermi Energia signed a framework agreement where TVONS will act as a consultant in Fermi Energia’s small modular reactor (SMR) power plant project in Estonia. Under the agreement, TVONS will advise on the key stages of the project such as permit preparations and support for commissioning and operational preparation of the power plant. Fermi Energia expects to submit a construction permit application to the Estonian government in 2029, with construction targeted to begin in 2031.
Denmark’s Copenhagen Atomics signed a Letter of Intent with Rare Earths Norway to secure future access to thorium from the Fensfeltet deposit in Norway. The letter outlines the intention of the parties to collaborate on the responsible utilization of thorium resources to provide a key fertile material for Copenhagen Atomics’ reactor technology. Copenhagen Atomics is developing a containerized molten salt reactor, and it is aiming for commercial deployment by the early 2030s.
German company Proxima Fusion signed an agreement with the Free State of Bavaria, RWE, and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics to build the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant at the former Gundremmingen nuclear site. The memorandum of understanding outlines a roadmap to commercial fusion in Europe that begins with building a demonstration stellarator that will become operational in the 2030s. In October of last year, the German cabinet announced it had approved the federal government’s plan to accelerate commercial fusion deployment in Germany.
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The Philippine government has completed a licensing and permitting flowchart for nuclear power plant projects, which is a key step toward enabling the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power facilities by 2032. The Department of Energy says the end-to-end licensing framework was formulated during a Focus Group Discussion on Harmonizing Nuclear Power Plant Licensing that gathered more than 100 stakeholders from the private sector, academia, and government agencies. The Philippines has been planning for the deployment of nuclear energy since former President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2022 executive order for including nuclear power into the energy mix.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announced $2.7 million in funding for technical assistance to Philippine company Meralco PowerGen Corporation for the evaluation of U.S. small modular reactors (SMR) and development of an implementation roadmap for the Philippines’ first SMR power plant. The assistance will provide Meralco PowerGen with a comprehensive technical review of U.S. SMR designs and will enable Meralco PowerGen to develop a shortlist of U.S. technology providers. The United States and the Philippines formalized a 123 Agreement on nuclear energy cooperation in 2023.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, will visit the United Arab Emirates to discuss economic cooperation in several areas such as nuclear energy and artificial intelligence. Kang added that he plans to follow up on previous talks with Emirati officials about outcomes from Lee’s visit with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan last November. South Korea collaborated with the United Arab Emirates in the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which consists of four Korean-designed reactors.
India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has given consent for the first pour of concrete for Kaiga units 5 and 6. This marks the completion of excavation and initial safety reviews, and the transition to the construction phase. The two 700 MWe pressurized heavy water reactors are part of a planned fleet for 10 such reactors. Two units are in operation at Kakrapar, one at Rajasthan reached full power in February 2026, and another at Rajasthan is under construction.
India’s Tarapur 1 returned to commercial operations after 6 years of refurbishment work while Tarapur 2 remains offline. Tarapur Atomic Power Station is India’s oldest commercial nuclear power plant, first commissioned in 1969. Both Tarapur 1 and Tarapur 2 have been offline since 2020 for major refurbishment work. It also hosts two additional Indian-designed pressurized heavy-water reactors: Tarapur 3 and 4.
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The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, the African Union, and the African Commission on Nuclear Energy signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in support of peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology for socio-economic development. In the context of African countries looking to pursue nuclear energy, the cooperative framework would foster skills development and industrial capacity building, strengthening of policy and regulatory frameworks, and joint research initiatives.
Australia’s Bannerman Energy entered a joint venture agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to enable debt-free construction of the Etango uranium mine in Namibia. Upon completion, Bannerman will own 52.25% of the project, CNNC Overseas Limited (CNOL) will own 42.75%, and Namibian social welfare organization One Economy Foundation will hold 5%. Additionally, CNOL will have a life-of-mine offtake entitlement to 60% of the mine’s production.
| | NANO Nuclear signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EHC Investment, a United Arab Emirates investment holding company, to explore a joint venture aimed at deploying NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS micro modular reactors in the UAE, and potentially across the wider Arabian Gulf region. The joint venture would be formalized upon securing a first commercial project-to-order. The KRONOS micro modular reactor (MMR) is a 15 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled and graphite moderated reactor that would use tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel. | | Industrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB) is in discussion with local government officials and the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Holdings Company on the potential licensing of a phosphate uranium project in Santa Quiteria. The Santa Quiteria deposit is the largest discovered uranium reserve in Brazil. INB claims that the projected annual production could yield 2,300 tons of uranium concentrate, which could supply Brazil’s two active and potential future nuclear reactors, in addition to 1.05 million tons of phosphate for fertilizer. The Santa Quiteria Project is in the environmental licensing process with the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. | | North America Nuclear Collaborations and Policy | | |
The Department of Energy and Department of Defense airlifted parts of the Ward 250 microreactor from the March Air Reserve Base in California to the Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The DoD Under Secretary Michael Duffey stated that such a reactor could provide energy security on a military base without the need for the civilian power grid, meaning that U.S. forces could continue operating without concern that an enemy might cut fuel supplies. President Donald Trump has pushed for the United States to expand its energy production and pledged to get three microreactors “critical” on U.S. soil by July 4 of this year.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a Special Nuclear Material license to X-energy subsidiary TRISO-X so it can commercially produce tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel for the TX-1 and TX-2 advanced reactor projects currently under construction in Tennessee. The approval formally establishes TX-1 and TX-2 as the first new fuel facilities licensed by the NRC in over 50 years. Construction of TX-1 began at the Oak Ridge Horizon Center last November, and it will have an estimated output of 5 tons of uranium that can fuel up to 11 Xe-100 small modular reactors (SMR).
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Kairos Power have entered into a $27 million partnership to accelerate Kairos Power’s next-generation advanced nuclear reactors. Oak Ridge will provide expertise and access to facilities to review and evaluate various aspects of Kairos Power’s novel fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor design, and it will also manufacture components for reactor development and testing. The project will support the design, construction, and operation of Kairos Power’s planned Hermes demonstration reactors that are currently under construction.
U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Tim Scott have reintroduced the CLEAN SMART Act which aims to leverage the best available technology at U.S. national laboratories to support the cleanup of legacy nuclear waste. The CLEAN SMART Act would authorize up to $58 million annually to develop, demonstrate, and deploy technologies that can reduce costs and ensure safer and faster remediation of nuclear waste. Luján previously introduced the bill back in 2024, but it failed to make it out of committee.
An international consortium led by British firm Core Power is pitching a proposal to the Department of Defense to build a ship-borne nuclear power station that will be docked at a U.S. naval facility. The consortium is aiming to use an existing shipborne nuclear reactor design with an output of 300 megawatts. In May 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order requiring the Defense Department to deploy an advanced nuclear reactor at a military base before the end of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has issued an executive order that will support the deployment of new nuclear facilities in the state with the goal of delivering at least 2 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity. The order directs multiple strategic actions for new nuclear development, covering energy planning, economic development, and workforce training. Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation that lifted the state’s 30-year moratorium on the construction of new large-scale reactors. Illinois currently operates eleven nuclear reactors which supply more than half of the state’s electricity.
The Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Ohio is moving ahead with plans to extend its operating license into the 2060s and boost its electricity output following a new long-term power agreement with Meta. The deal between the power plant and Meta will shape both the new license-extension push and a series of major equipment upgrades that will increase its electricity output by about 15%. Ohio is fifth in the country in terms of online and planned data centers and is currently grappling with how to power the rapid expansion with energy sources such as nuclear power.
Advanced microreactor developer Radiant announced a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin for its ongoing financing round. Lockheed Martin’s participation adds their defense and advanced technology expertise to Radiant’s growing coalition of investors and partners, and the funding round demonstrates strong market interest in Radiant’s Kaleidos microreactor. Radiant is currently making progress towards the startup of its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory’s DOME Facility by this summer.
Small modular reactor (SMR) developer Deep Fission has signed an agreement to purchase low-enriched uranium from Urenco USA to support the demonstration and testing of its initial Gravity reactor. The low-enriched uranium will come from Urenco USA’s enrichment facility in New Mexico and meets all regulatory requirements for use in the United States. Deep Fission broke ground for its pilot project at the Great Plains Industrial Park in December of last year, and it plans to build a full-scale commercial plant of borehole reactors following the test reactor demonstration.
Arizona Republican lawmakers have introduced six bills to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors (SMR) in the state. The bills aim to make it easier for data centers to build SMRs to their operations and pre-empt any county governments from prohibiting the construction of SMRS. Arizona currently operates one nuclear power plant at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, which contains 3 operational reactors.
A Florida House committee has advanced a proposal that could add more nuclear power to the state’s energy proposal. Under the measure, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) would gain the power to regulate advanced nuclear reactors as well as require several state agencies to create certifications for laboratories using nuclear materials for research and testing. In 2024, the Florida Legislature passed a measure calling for the PSC to evaluate the technical and economic viability of expanding nuclear power in the state, which currently generates 11% of the state’s electricity.
California-based fusion power startup Inertia Enterprises announced a $450 million Series A funding round, with companies such as Bessemer Venture Partners and Google Ventures among the leading financial backers. Inertia plans to use the funds toward its fusion pilot plant that will be located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Inertia is among several companies that have recently raised significant money to accelerate the deployment of nuclear fusion energy, with other companies including Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion Energy, and General Fusion.
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Australian company Paladin Energy received approval from the Province of Saskatchewan for its Environmental Impact Statement, a key milestone in obtaining a license to develop its proposed Patterson Lake South uranium mine. The Patterson Lake South deposit holds high grade uranium at a shallow depth of 50 meters below the surface. Paladin acquired the site in 2024 from the Canadian Fission Uranium Corporation, which originally submitted a construction license application to the Canada Nuclear Safety Commission in 2023.
Denison Mines Corp has made the final investment decision to proceed with Canada’s first in-situ recovery uranium mine in Saskatchewan. Construction at the Phoenix site is anticipated to begin in March and to take two years, with the ultimate goal of achieving production by mid-2028. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued its license for construction at the Wheeler River Uranium Project, which hosts both the high-grade Phoenix project and Gryphon uranium deposits. Denison will have to secure a separate license to actually operate the mine.
Bruce Power is on budget and ahead of schedule in Major Component Replacement work on unit 3. This involved removal and replacement of 480 fuel channels, 960 end fittings, and eight steam generators. The Bruce power plant hosts eight Candu units. Units 1, 2, and 6 have already been refurbished. Refurbishment began in 2023 on unit 3 and in 2025 on unit 4. Units 5, 7, and 8 are slated for refurbishment starting in 2023, once 3 and 4 return online.
The municipality of Port Hope and Ontario Power Generation entered into a memorandum of understanding to evaluate construction of an up to 10 GW nuclear power plant in Wesleyville, Ontario. The nuclear power plant would be built on a 1,300-acre OPG-owned site which has been municipally zoned and maintained for electricity generation since the 1970s, when an oil-fired power station was built but never operated. If siting assessments and licensing proceeds favorably, construction on the new nuclear plant could begin as soon as 2033.
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Trump Bets on Nuclear to Power the AI Century
The Washington Examiner, February 21
Fusion Energy: Progress, Partnerships, and the Path to Deployment
American Nuclear Society, February 20
How the NRC Lost Its Independence
E&E News, February 17
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Space News, February 16
America’s Nuclear Comeback Is Finally Here
The Hill, February 13
To Meet AI’s Energy Needs, America Needs Permitting Reform
The National Interest, February 13
Nuclear Power in the U.S.: Times They Are-A-Changin’
SpencerFane, February 13
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American Action Forum February 12
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The Washington Examiner, February 12
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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.
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