On September 14, the NRC staff publicly released its preliminary White Paper on “Licensing and Regulating Fusion Energy Systems” to support upcoming meetings with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards on options for...more
On August 9, 2022, President Biden signed the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022 (H.R. 4346) (collectively the “CHIPS and Science Act” or the “Act”), which contains a number...more
Today we take the unusual step to devote a write up to highlight two significant commercial developments for a single company because of their importance for decarbonization of the industrial sector and for advanced reactor...more
On July 27, 2022, Senator Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Manchin (D-WV) reached an agreement to provide $369 billion for climate and energy projects in the proposed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA” or the...more
In an action that distinguishes the unique traits of advanced reactors from large, light water reactors, on July 13, 2022, the NRC Commission approved in SRM-SECY-20-0045 a new approach for determining where advanced reactors...more
The world is increasingly recognizing that nuclear power can play a critical role in combatting climate change, while also providing critical energy security....more
While fuel prices skyrocket and energy supply and security concerns continue, interest in nuclear power is gaining momentum around the world....more
First, the Commission voted to not conduct a formal rulemaking on the NRC’s current environmental review process under 10 CFR Part 51. Separately, the staff proposed alternative timelines for a rulemaking to revise the...more
On April 12, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) staff completed its systematic assessment of how the NRC approaches environmental justice in its programs, policies and activities, by submitting to the...more
On April 7, 2022, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the International...more
On February 24, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued three unusual decisions pertaining to the agency’s review of subsequent license renewal (SLR) applications. The Commission orders reversed a previous...more
On February 24, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued three unusual decisions pertaining to the agency’s review of subsequent license renewal (SLR) applications. The Commission orders reversed a previous...more
On February 11, 2022, Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office Nuclear Energy announced the launch of the $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program aimed at preserving the existing U.S. fleet of nuclear power reactors and the...more
In early 2022, blog author Amy Roma spoke with a Bloomberg Law reporter about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Part 53 rulemaking efforts to support advanced reactor licensing. Amy’s position is that the NRC...more
Those involved with advanced reactors are well aware of the issues associated with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel: advanced reactors need HALEU to operate, but the U.S. doesn’t have domestic production...more
On December 16, 2021, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)—the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, respectively—introduced a bill entitled “Fission for the...more
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) recently released a report entitled “Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Options” (UNECE Report; Report). The Report analyzes the environmental profiles of the full...more
On December 7, 2021, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) introduced legislation to change the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (“NRC”) fee structure for licensing advanced technology. The legislation,...more
On Monday, November 15, 2021, the President signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“Infrastructure Bill” or the “Bill”), which contains a number of provisions supporting nuclear energy....more
On October 21, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight & Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing titled “Judicious Spending to Enable Success at the Office of Nuclear Energy.” A recording of the hearing is...more
The U.S. has made significant commitments to decarbonize its electricity sector by 2035 and its economy by 2050. As the recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report highlights, following through on...more
On September 27, the NRC held a public meeting where it invited speakers to present on their experience with environmental justice (EJ) issues and also to hear recommendations on the agency’s approach when reevaluating how to...more
The bad news. Right now, gigantic wildfires are burning across Siberia and the Artic Circle that are larger than all the other record-setting fires raging around the world this summer combined. The massive blazes in Russia...more
Innovative technologies are reshaping every industry, presenting new business cases and changing our daily lives. These technologies are hyper-connecting the world and offering new ways to interact. Particularly in the Space...more
On July 9, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Federal Register notice, Systematic Assessment for How the NRC Addresses Environmental Justice in Its Programs, Policies, and Activities. Comments on the notice are...more