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Greetings!
In this week’s issue, we assess the role of nuclear energy in a new technology-fueled Cold War. We spotlight the Nuclear Innovation Alliance’s 2025 Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Company Compendium and Primer and its assessment of the global state of advanced reactor technology. 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 and Gabriela Zanko.
| | The Role of Nuclear Energy in the New Cold War | | |
A longer version of this article was published by the Center for the National Interest and it can be found here.
The United States is at the front end of a new Cold War, but this time the critical role of atom splitting has been transmuted. Rather than relying on nuclear fission to deliver security in the form of a nuclear bomb, its value now lies in the ability to supercharge cutting-edge technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence (AI).
To be successful, the U.S. government, its allies, and the private sector will need to disentangle the multiple opportunities, geopolitical imperatives, and differing technologies and timelines. They need to create an interconnected, strategic approach to nuclear reactor and fuel deployment that achieves near-term progress while protecting the markets of the future.
Three Spheres of Nuclear Expansion
There is no shortage of federal financing, Executive Orders, or political support for nuclear power in America. But, despite this spigot of cash and commands, it is difficult to see how this frenzy of nuclear activity results in real achievements on a predictable timeline.
There are three intersecting spheres of nuclear expansion that should form the foundation of a needed roadmap, each one having unique geopolitical imperatives, technology composition, and timelines.
Expanding Nuclear Energy in Eastern Europe
The geopolitical foundation to expand nuclear power in Eastern Europe is to decouple from Russian energy dependence. The war in Ukraine has been a game-changer for Europe.
Eastern Europe is well-suited for large gigawatt (GW) sized reactors and several Eastern European nations already operate Russian reactors. But virtually all of them are now seeking American or South Korean fuel conversions and reactors.
Poland has contracted with Westinghouse to build three AP-1000 reactors, while the Czech Republic has chosen to build two Korean APR-1400. Similarly sized reactors are being pursued by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. There is interest in small modular reactors (SMRs), but these are likely a later prospect.
The primary American strategic objective in Eastern Europe is to lock down the expansion of the large reactor market and keep Russia and China out. But it must work with allies to deliver the reactors on time and on budget while building a stronger supply chain. And it needs to ensure that a future SMR wave is controlled by the United States and its allies.
Advancing Nuclear Energy in America
America has decided that winning the AI race with China is an absolute geopolitical imperative, and the Trump administration aims to provide the substantial power needed to win.
There are two streams of nuclear technology that are moving forward to meet this need.
1. Small modular and advanced technology reactors
Most attention has been focused on small modular and advanced technology reactors. They have unique design features when compared to traditional, large reactors, and have attracted substantial financial support from major AI technology companies.
A major challenge for small and advanced reactor companies is their timeline for deployment. In the U.S., only NuScale Power has regulatory approval for its reactor. Many others are likely a decade away from deployment. There are also serious concerns about whether the exotic fuels required for these novel reactor designs can be delivered on time. Then there is the reliability of output. The historical record indicates that advanced-type reactors operated in the United States, Germany, France, and Japan have all faced serious operational challenges.
2. Large nuclear reactors
The alternative to SMRs as the AI backbone is the traditional large reactor like the Westinghouse AP-1000. It has a distinct advantage over SMRs because the reactor has been licensed by the NRC and has been built in the U.S. and overseas.
The Trump administration has committed $80 billion to the construction of 10 GW of AP-1000 power in the United States. And at least one administration energy official has indicated that the U.S. government could buy and own “as many as 10 new, large nuclear reactors” using Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S.
The challenge for the AP-1000 is that utilities and investors are hesitant to commit to new construction and the cost risks. In response, the Trump administration is advancing a dual-track strategy by identifying federal land for reactor construction.
A number of small reactor developers are already using the national laboratories as homes for their reactor developments. One example of the potential combination of federal land and the AP-1000 is Fermi America’s Project Matador. It plans 10 AP-1000s for deployment in Amarillo, Texas adjacent to the Pantex plant.
The domestic objective for the U.S. is to underscore the national security importance of a nuclear power build-out and secure a concrete commitment to construct a set of new large and small reactors. That will require a purchaser for the power, and if AI flags, and the utilities have cold feet, the alternative buyer may be the U.S. government.
Capturing Emerging Markets in the Global South
The geopolitical imperative to capture emerging nuclear markets is strong. It blocks authoritarian competitors like Russia and China from key markets, it creates a 100-year-long energy partner, and it provides the power these nations need as their populations and economies grow. But these are the places where the least amount of strategic and creative thinking has been done.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia seem to be moving towards a large reactor deal. But many of these nations are not well-suited or financially prepared for a large GW-sized nuclear reactor. They could better use SMRs. So, nurturing those markets for small reactors in advance of their deployment is an important opportunity.
Russia and China have a significant advantage in cultivating these nations. Russia has signed over 15 nuclear power agreements with African nations since 2017, while the United States has signed two. China is capturing energy infrastructure through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which now has 149 countries in its orbit. Russia and China are already operating SMRs.
The objective for the emerging economy nations is to capture these markets for American and allied SMRs and prepare these nations for nuclear operation in an expedited manner. America hasn’t done a great job on this and continues to rely on the slow, incremental process of capacity building that rarely reaches a conclusion. Its export financing is weaker than the opportunities.
Therefore, the U.S. and its allies need to consider some creative options, including Energy Security Compacts, reactor-exporter Build-Operate-Transfer models, and an expansion of the resources and remit of the Development Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank. There also is the potential to combine Middle Eastern and OECD nation sovereign wealth and export agency financing to create a super-pool of resources that can support broad nuclear deployment in emerging economies. This can solidify a new, responsible nuclear energy security coalition with rippling geopolitical benefits in the new Cold War.
| | Ken Luongo, President, Partnership for Global Security | | | | |
Spotlight
The Nuclear Innovation Alliance published its 2025 update to its Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Company Compendium and the Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Primer. The Compendium is an introduction to the advanced reactor business ecosystem for potential investors and other stakeholders. It analyzes the shared characteristics of advanced reactors and their differing types such as sodium-cooled fast reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and micro-reactors. The Primer provides information on the numerous North American companies that are currently developing advanced reactors including those being developed under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Some of the companies documented include BWXT, NuScale Power, Oklo, and Terrestrial Energy.
| | Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security | | Issues of Special Interest | | Global AI and Data Center Energy | | |
Aalo Atomics and Microsoft are collaborating on using artificial intelligence tools for Aalo’s small modular reactor technology. The work involves using Microsoft’s Generative AI for Energy Permitting Solution Accelerator and is now expanding to include AI agents for creating a digital super-operator platform. In August of this year, Aalo Atomics broke ground at a site in Idaho to start the construction of its Aalo-X experimental reactor and is planning to complete construction and achieve criticality by July 2026.
Orano and Capgemini introduced a humanoid robot named Hoxo at the Orano Melox facility, which will now enter a comprehensive four-month training program. The robot represents a combination of embedded AI, sophisticated sensor technology, and autonomous navigation systems purpose-built for nuclear facilities. If successful, Hoxo will be the first intelligent humanoid robot operating in the nuclear sector, with the two companies presenting it as an adaptable and scalable robotic system that can improve industrial performance and offer robotic support to nuclear facility operators.
| | The Impact of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine on International Nuclear Affairs | | |
The main power line to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been restored, improving its immediate safety, although conditions remain unstable due to the ongoing conflict. Recent repairs reconnected the plant to two external power lines, a critical requirement for keeping its reactors safely cooled while they remain in cold shutdown. The situation highlights the broader vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, as several operating nuclear plants were forced to reduce output after new attacks damaged parts of the electrical grid.
In his latest update, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that the Khmelnitsky and Rivne Nuclear Power Plants have been operating at reduced capacity after ongoing military activity damaged an electrical substation. Grossi reiterated that these substations are crucial for maintaining off-site power supplies that support power plant operations and are vital for nuclear safety and security. Energoatom added that Khmelnitsky unit 2 has been operating with a damaged turbine since 2022 and that plans are underway to purchase a new rotor.
More than 400,000 people in Ukraine are without electricity after a major wave of Russian strikes on the country’s western regions. The attacks disrupted power lines and transformers, forcing Ukraine’s nuclear plants, which supply over half of the nation’s electricity, to scale back their output. The IAEA confirmed that multiple nuclear stations lost access to high-voltage lines, further reducing power production. According to national grid officials, nearly the entire country is now facing electricity rationing, with blackouts in some areas lasting up to 16 hours and frontline regions suffering the most severe shortages.
Greenpeace stated that a cargo ship departed France over the weekend “carrying at least ten containers of reprocessed uranium” bound for Russia. The shipment, observed in Dunkirk, is the first of its kind the group has documented in three years and comes just as President Emmanuel Macron prepares to meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The renewed shipment highlights France’s long-standing dependence on Russia’s capacity to re-enrich reprocessed uranium, codified in a 2018 EDF contract. The French government had ordered EDF to suspend this trade after the invasion of Ukraine.
| | Global Nuclear Developments, Geopolitics, & Governance | | |
At the United Nations’ COP30 climate change conference, the World Nuclear Association previewed the findings of its upcoming World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025. The WNA analysis concludes that tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050, a goal that was endorsed at COP28 and has now received support from 31 countries, can be achieved if governments take immediate and sustained action to deliver on their national targets for nuclear power expansion. The study compiles national government targets and goals for nuclear capacity and assesses them alongside plans for continued and extended operation of existing reactors, as well as the completion of those under construction.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published its latest World Energy Outlook which projects that global nuclear power capacity is set to increase by at least one-third by 2035. As a result of technology advancements in nuclear power and rising interest in nuclear energy by countries worldwide, global nuclear generating capacity is expected to increase from 420 GWe currently to 728 GWe in 2050. The report also notes that more than 40 countries now include nuclear energy in their strategies, and investments in nuclear energy have grown by more than 70% over the past five years.
| | Rosatom and India’s Department of Atomic Energy held talks where they discussed the development of new large and small-scale nuclear power plant projects and wider nuclear fuel cycle cooperation. According to Rosatom, the technical specifications for the construction of a new Russian-designed nuclear power plant in India using VVER-1200 reactor units are currently being prepared in addition to the potential deployment of small modular reactors and floating power units. The two sides also reviewed the progress of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant where construction of units 5 and 6 (Russian VVER-1000’s) is currently underway. | | |
China General Nuclear (CGN) began construction of the third Hualong One reactor at the San’ao Nuclear Power Plant following regulatory approval from the National Nuclear Safety Administration. The first concrete pour for Unit 3’s nuclear island marks the formal launch of Phase II construction at the six-unit site. Units 1 and 2 are scheduled to enter operation in 2026 and 2027, and, once all six Hualong One units are completed, San’ao is expected to supply more than 54 TWh of electricity annually to Zhejiang Province.
China has begun construction of the Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant in Shandong Province with the first safety-related concrete poured for Unit 1, the first of six planned Hualong One reactors at the site. The project will ultimately provide 7.2 GWe of capacity and generate roughly 50 TWh annually, supporting electricity needs for five million people. The Zhaoyuan project marks China General Nuclear’s (CGN) first nuclear plant in Shandong and expands China’s deployment of large-scale Hualong One units as part of its broader nuclear expansion strategy.
French nuclear manufacturer Framatome secured multiple orders from Chinese clients at the 8th China International Import Expo, covering nuclear fuel, control system components, and technical services. Among the companies Framatome signed agreements with were China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN). Framatome has been involved in previous Chinese nuclear projects, including the construction of Units 1 and 2 at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant.
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The United Kingdom has chosen the Welsh island of Anglesey to host the country’s first small modular reactors (SMR) designed by Rolls-Royce SMR. The British government also announced that Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N) is being tasked with identifying suitable sites that could potentially host new large-scale reactors, with GBE-N set to report back by Fall of 2026. The United Kingdom is looking to both large-scale reactors and SMRs to replace the country’s aging nuclear power plants, which currently supply about 14% of the United Kingdom’s electricity.
According to two Électricité de France (EDF) officials, the schedule for the completion of Britain’s Hinkley Point Power Plant is likely to be pushed back by at least another year as a result of cost overruns and the installation of electrical systems. The delay will likely stretch for 12 months or more if corrective action plans continue to prove challenging. The Hinkley Point project has proven controversial for EDF as long delays and cost overruns have caused the schedule for completion to move years beyond its original 2025 target.
A senior executive of French utility Électricité de France (EDF) announced that the company is looking to finalize the conceptual design of its small modular reactor (SMR). The CEO of EDF subsidiary Nuward, Julien Garrel, added that the company aims to have up to 30 SMRs in service by 2050. The first EDF SMR prototype is expected to be online in 2035, followed by one reactor annually until it has four operational. The cost estimates and conceptual design will coincide with EDF’s final investment on its fleet of six EPR2 reactors for its home market.
Framatome has announced plans to produce tristructural isotropic (TRISO) nuclear fuel at its fuel fabrication facility in Romans-sur-Isère, France. The company also signed an agreement to manufacture fuel elements using TRISO for Blue Capsule Technology’s high-temperature reactor, focusing on the qualification of TRISO fuel particles and the fabrication of specified fuel elements for the Blue Capsule reactors. These developments complement Framatome’s ongoing fuel manufacturing activities and expand the company’s nuclear resources in France.
French small modular reactor (SMR) developer Hexana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dutch cooperative Atoomcoöperatie to explore the potential deployment of Hexana’s nuclear platform in the Netherlands. Through this partnership, Atoomcoöperatie will drive coordination and momentum for Hexana’s advanced modular reactor deployment through facilitating stakeholder engagement and cultivating a favorable environment for regulatory, industrial, and financial cooperation. The Netherlands’ government has been looking to expand its nuclear sector as part of its climate and energy policy.
At the World Nuclear Exhibition, French uranium company Orano and Dutch company ULC-Energy signed a cooperation agreement to collaborate on projects supporting the handling, storage, and transportation of spent nuclear fuel. Orano is a recognized international company that offers numerous services such as spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and transportation and storage solutions. ULC-Energy is currently developing projects using modular reactors and recently selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its technology supplier of choice.
A study found that Allseas’ planned small modular reactor could deliver major economic, environmental, and energy-security benefits for the Netherlands. The compact high-temperature design, intended for offshore vessels and onshore industry, could see up to 110 units deployed domestically and hundreds more in the global maritime sector. The study estimates the technology could add up to £130 billion to the Dutch economy by 2050, create tens of thousands of jobs, and cut industrial and maritime CO₂ emissions significantly.
Hungary’s MVM Group and Westinghouse Electric signed a contract for Westinghouse to provide VVER-440 nuclear fuel for the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. The $114 million deal came as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with U.S. President Donald Trump, and Hungary hopes the collaboration will make it a major hub for the emerging advanced reactor and small modular reactor (SMR) market in Central Europe. Hungary currently operates the Paks Nuclear Power Plant which comprises four Russian-supplied VVER-440 pressurized water reactors, and the country is now looking to diversify its fuel supply for these reactors.
The Czech Republic announced has begun its geological survey to make sure the Dukovany site is suitable for its $19 billion nuclear power expansion project. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently won the tender to construct a new nuclear power plant whose two reactors will have an output of over 1,000 megawatts each, and the deal also gives the Czech Republic an option to have more units built at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant.
Belarus plans to build a third nuclear power plant unit to meet projected energy needs, but the government is deliberating whether this additional unit will be built at its Ostrovets nuclear power plant or whether a second plant should be built. While building a third unit at the existing plant would be more cost-effective and logistically easier, building a new plant would help to develop Belarus’s eastern territory by creating new jobs and investment opportunities. Plans are in place to survey potential sites in Mogilev Oblast. During a meeting to review plans for the third unit, government officials also reviewed performance of the existing nuclear power plant.
Finnish energy firm Helen announced that three sites in Helsinki have been identified for further assessment to locate a small modular reactor (SMR) plant: the Vuosaari, Salmisaari, and Norrberget power plant areas. The next step of this program is to launch an environmental impact assessment procedure for the potential power plant sites. Helen launched the first phase of its nuclear program in 2024, which aims to build a small nuclear power plant for producing heat in Helsinki and evaluate SMRs.
Swedish state-owned energy company Vattenfall signed an agreement with the Industrikraft I Sverige AB consortium for joint investment and collaboration in the development of new nuclear power plants in Sweden. The agreement allows the two parties to progress in enabling new nuclear power on the Varö Peninsula in Ringhals, and Industrikraft will become a 20% shareholder in Viedeberg Kraft AB. Industrikraft was formed in 2024 to support the expansion of Sweden’s electricity supply, and it is entering the next phase of nuclear power investment with multiple companies.
The Spanish government has forwarded Centrales Nucleares Almaraz-Trillo’s (CNAT) request for an operating license extension for the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant to the Nuclear Safety Council. CNAT officially requested a three-year extension to the operating license for Almaraz Units 1 and 2 in October, which would allow them to operate until 2030. Spain currently operates seven nuclear reactors, but the country’s current phase-out plan will see all of its reactors shut down by 2035. However, this plan has recently come into question following a nationwide black-out earlier this year.
Norway’s Norsk Kjernekraft and Canada’s Aecon signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the development of SMRs in Norway, specifically the GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR. 10 locations have already been identified for environmental assessments. The SMRs are meant to be built and operated in collaboration with power-intensive industries. Norsk Kjernekraft plans to follow IAEA guidance with regard to milestones and secure financing via a capital-strong industry.
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Despite President Trump’s assertion that a South Korean nuclear submarine would be built in the U.S, President Lee Jae Myung told the U.S. President Donald Trump that South Korea would build the submarine domestically and that it is seeking Washington’s approval of American nuclear fuel for the submarine. A presidential official announced that South Korea wants to receive enriched uranium from the United States to use as fuel for a nuclear-powered submarine. The current bilateral nuclear agreement between the nations forbids South Korea from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel or enriching uranium. But talks are underway on modifying these provisions.
South Korea’s government approved a 10-year extension to its Kori-2 nuclear reactor, which is the oldest active reactor in the country. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission’s decision is expected to increase momentum for extending the life cycles for nine additional reactors. South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear power reactors, with the Kori-2 reactor beginning operations back in 1983. However, its operations have been suspended since 2023.
The governor of Japan’s Niigata Prefecture is set to give approval for the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant to come back online, more than a decade after the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster led to its shutdown. The approval will clear the final hurdle in TEPCO’s goal of bringing the world’s largest nuclear power plant back online. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) currently plans on bringing Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Units 6 and 7 back online, which together can produce 2,710 megawatts of electricity.
Toyo Tanso’s American subsidiary will supply fine-grain graphite components for the first deployment of X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactor (SMR). Under the $40 million agreement, the order is for core structural components made from Toyo-Tanso’s IG-110 fine-grain isotropic graphite for four XE-100 units that will be located at Dow Seadrift’s site in Texas. The final design phase is expected to be completed in 2026, after which the manufacturing of the IG-110 components will begin, and delivery is scheduled for 2028.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) signed an agreement with the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company and the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation to collaborate on setting up new nuclear power plants in the state. The key objectives of the agreement are to support Maharashtra’s transition toward large-scale nuclear power generation and enable the design, development, and commissioning of nuclear facilities using sustainable technology. Maharashtra is currently home to the Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant while another site at Jaitapur has been proposed for a power plant with six French-designed EPR units.
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South Africa has revived its long-dormant Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) program after cabinet approval to remove the project from care-and-maintenance and transfer it from Eskom to the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa). The decision allows the country to reopen fuel development laboratories, restart research and development, and position South Africa as a future supplier of high-temperature and small modular reactor technologies. Necsa described the PBMR revival as a major step toward reactivating the full nuclear fuel cycle and strengthening South Africa’s regional and international role in next-generation reactor technologies.
South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator has approved the extended operation of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 for a further 20 years of operation. State-owned utility Eskom submitted its application in 2021 to extend the operating lives of Koeberg Units 1 and 2 beyond their initial 40-year operating lives, with the extension for Koeberg 1 being granted in 2024. Koeberg is the only operating nuclear power plant in South Africa, with Units 1 and 2 entering commercial operation in 1984 and 1985, respectively.
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The United States and Saudi Arabia finalized their negotiations on sharing nuclear power technology, building the legal framework for follow-up nuclear cooperation documents. The White House stated in its fact sheet that the agreement ensures that all cooperation will be conducted in accordance with nonproliferation standards, but questions remain about whether these documents will allow for Saudi uranium enrichment. A formal agreement for nuclear cooperation (123 agreement) would need to be approved by Congress before any sensitive nuclear cooperation could occur between the two nations. The United States and Saudi Arabia have been discussing the prospect of nuclear cooperation for years, and nonproliferation standards have been one major issue in that dialogue.
South Korea and the United Arab Emirates signed several memoranda of understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence and nuclear energy. Among the documents were a strategic cooperation framework on AI and global partnerships in next-generation nuclear technologies and AI. The United Arab Emirates currently operates the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which was built in collaboration with Korea Electric Power Company (KEPCO).
Egypt and Russia marked a major milestone at the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for Unit 1. The ceremony signals continued progress on Egypt’s first nuclear facility, where four Russian-designed VVER-1200 units are under construction as part of a comprehensive partnership that includes fuel supply, maintenance, workforce training, and long-term lifecycle support. Once all four units enter operation, the 4.8 GW facility is expected to play a central role in strengthening Egypt’s energy security and supporting its target of producing 9% of electricity from nuclear power by 2030.
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Brazil launched a three-year national program to design a 3–5 megawatt microreactor, marking the country’s first coordinated effort to develop an entirely domestic advanced reactor. The project aims to produce a containerized microreactor capable of operating for more than a decade without refueling. Officials highlighted the reactor’s potential to power remote communities, industrial facilities, and critical infrastructure, positioning microreactors as a strategic element of Brazil’s broader push for energy innovation and technological sovereignty.
Brazil’s Eletronuclear says a new economic study supports completing the long-delayed Angra 3 nuclear project, concluding that abandoning the plant would cost the government more than finishing construction. The updated analysis finds that completing the project would deliver competitively priced, long-term baseload power and support Brazil’s decarbonization and energy security goals. Angra 3 has faced repeated suspensions due to financing challenges, regulatory disputes, and corruption investigations. If the government approves moving forward, Eletronuclear projects a new target completion date of 2033.
Argentinian nuclear utility Nucleoelectrica and Canada’s Candu Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on providing engineering, technical assistance, and maintenance services for Candu-type nuclear power plants. The MoU will build on the two companies’ existing collaboration by supporting life extension projects and future nuclear developments in Canada and internationally. Argentina operates one Candu nuclear power unit at the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant.
| | North America Nuclear Collaborations and Policy | | |
Despite the Trump administration’s plans to expand the United States’ nuclear power sector, electric utilities are hesitant to implement such large-scale projects. Exelon CEO Calvin Butler stated, “I wouldn’t build a nuclear power plant,” before adding that he’d prefer to build natural gas and solar projects. Duke Energy CEO Harry Sideris said that his company still needs to figure out what to do with cost overrun projections and that the company has nothing going forward in terms of nuclear projects before resolving the concern of rising project costs.
The U.S. government plans to buy and own as many as 10 new nuclear reactors which could be paid for by using Japan’s newest $550 billion funding pledge as detailed by Department of Energy Chief of Staff Carl Coe. This pledge will include as much as $80 billion for the construction of new reactors made by Westinghouse Electric. Thus far, Japan has agreed to invest some $332 billion for U.S. energy projects, including investment in large-scale AP1000 reactors as well as a new breed of small nuclear reactors. This new deal would help the United States achieve its target of having 10 large conventional reactors under construction by 2030.
The Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced that the largest portion of future funding from the Loan Programs Office (LPO) will now be dedicated to nuclear energy with the aim of getting the first next-generation nuclear power units built. The Loan Programs Office had previously committed to issuing additional loans and loan guarantees for clean-energy initiatives, with more than $107 billion in loans having been issued. Under the Biden administration, these loans were increasingly used to finance projects in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and lithium mining.
The Department of Energy announced it will loan $1 billion to help finance the restart of Three Mile Island Unit 1. The loan is being issued under an existing $250 billion energy infrastructure program authorized by Congress back in 2022. The reactor has been out of operation for five years, but Constellation Energy announced last year it would spend $1.6 billion to restart the facility under a 20-year agreement with Microsoft to buy the power for its data centers. Constellation hopes to bring the reactor back online in 2027.
The U.S. Army has selected nine sites for the potential deployment of microreactors under the Army’s Janus Program. Additionally, the Defense Innovation Unit has released an Area of Interest in order to solicit commercial solutions for advanced nuclear power technologies. The Janus Program is a next-generation nuclear power program that aims to deliver secure energy to support national defense installations and critical missions.
The Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The Aurora facility will fabricate fuel for Oklo’s Aurora-INL commercial-scale powerhouse reactor. This is the first NSDA to be approved under the Department of Energy’s Fuel Line Pilot Projects and is part of the U.S. government’s policy to expand the deployment of nuclear power under the recent “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security” executive order.
X-energy announced the start of vertical construction for its TX-1 fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The facility will be the first Category II fuel fabrication facility licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and will manufacture the company’s TRISO fuel for its commercial reactors. X-energy subsidiary TRISO-X anticipates regulatory approval by May 2026. TRISO-X recently selected Clark Construction Group to complete vertical construction of the facility as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP).
The Senate officially confirmed Ho Nieh to serve as a commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in a 66-32 vote. Nieh has been the vice president of regulatory affairs at Southern Nuclear since 2021 and has experience working at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. The NRC is now composed of four members as the Trump administration seeks to overhaul the commission in order to expedite the deployment of nuclear power nationwide.
The first complete assembly of accident-tolerant fuel to operate in a commercial nuclear reactor completed its second cycle of operations before being loaded back into Constellation’s Calvert Cliffs plant for a third 24-month cycle. The lead fuel assembly of the enhanced accident tolerant- fuel (E-ATF) was first loaded into Calvert Cliffs unit 2 in 2021 before beginning the second testing cycle in 2023. The assembly will now enter its third cycle of operation, after which it will be shipped to a Department of Energy laboratory for post-irradiation examination.
U.S. company X-energy has begun irradiation testing of its tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel pebbles at Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) advanced test reactor, marking the first time this advanced fuel has undergone irradiation testing in a U.S. facility. Over the 13-month trial, the experiments will evaluate fuel performance under different power levels, temperatures, and burnup scenarios in order to meet Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) standards for commercial use in nuclear reactors. The testing is part of X-energy’s efforts to establish the country’s first commercial advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have completed a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for a small modular reactor (SMR) at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Clinch River site in Tennessee. TVA applied for a construction permit for GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 in May of this year, with the SMR expected to become the first utility-scale SMR unit to come online in the United States. TVA added that grant funding would help accelerate construction at Clinch River, with commercial operation of the units possible by 2033.
Anfield Energy broke ground at the Velvet-Wood Uranium-Vanadium Mine weeks after receiving its final construction permit from the state of Utah. The state government approved for the development of the Velvet-Wood mine to be fast-tracked earlier this year, with first production coming as soon as 2026. The Department of Energy is seeking to establish additional uranium mines in the United States in order to secure a larger domestic supply of the mineral, and the Department has also recommended uranium be added to the government’s List of Critical Minerals so it can be eligible for federal incentives.
Valar Atomics has raised $130 in fundraising with support from Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey and Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar. The venture capital firms involved in this fundraising round are Snowpoint Ventures, Day One Ventures, and Dream Ventures. Valar is currently developing an advanced reactor technology and is part of a Department of Energy pilot program that aims to deploy at least three advanced test reactors by 2026. Valar is also suing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) over its licensing process for small reactor designs.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced a major development in the state’s plans to build a small nuclear power plant paired with a manufacturing and training hub. Under Operation Gigawatt, Hi Tech Solutions and Holtec International are partnering with the state of Utah to create the nuclear project that will be centered in Brigham City. The components of the project include a manufacturing hub to produce parts for Holtec’s SMR-300 and other advanced technologies, a workforce training center, and a long-term plan to deploy a fleet of SMRs in Utah and elsewhere in the Mountain West region.
| | Canada’s regulatory process for NexGen’s Rook I uranium project reached its final stage as the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) opened the first of two public hearings on November 19. The hearings follow more than a decade of environmental studies and Indigenous and community engagement, as well as provincial approval of the project’s environmental assessment in 2023. If approved, NexGen plans to begin construction on what it describes as a next-generation, low-impact uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, expected to provide long-term economic, social, and clean-energy benefits to the region and Canada’s nuclear fuel supply chain. | | There are no new updates for this region. | | |
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Foreign Policy, November 13
Small Nuclear Reactors Will Help End Our Reliance on Dictators Like Putin
The Telegraph, November 13
Billions Flow to US Nuclear Sector with Payoff Still Years Away
Bloomberg, November 12
How Nuclear Power Aims to Wean Finland Off Russian Energy
DW, November 12
Regulating Nuclear-Powered Ships on the High Seas
The National Interest, November 11
Google & NextEra: Reviving Nuclear Energy to Power AI
AI Magazine, November 10
To Lead in Nuclear Energy, the U.S. and Korea Must Avoid the Reprocessing Trap
Nuclear Threat Initiative, November 10
The New Space Race: The Technicalities of Putting Nuclear Power on the Moon
Power Technology, November 10
Trade Deals and a New Chapter for American Nuclear?
Center for Strategic & International Studies, November 7
Should California Financially Contribute to the Nuclear Fusion Industry?
The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 7
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News items and summaries compiled by:
Patrick Kendall, Program Director, Partnership for Global Security
Mackenzie Hansen, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
Gabriela Zanko, 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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