Fuel
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Trends
Out of Sync: The Infrastructure Misalignment Undermining the U.S. Grid
U.S. power infrastructure—the intricate physical fabric that laces together generation, transmission, and distribution—is under intensifying strain. Outdated and overextended, it must now absorb relentless growth from electrification and data centers or risk escalating reliability threats, surging costs, and a weakened global competitive edge. POWER examines the dysfunction and what it will actually take to future-proof […]
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Energy Security
Duke Energy Advances New 1.4-GW Gas-Hydrogen Power Plant in South Carolina Under New Energy Security Mandate
Duke Energy intends to submit an application to South Carolina’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval to build a 1.4-GW gas-fired combined cycle plant with hydrogen capability in Anderson County. If approved, the project, which could come online in 2031, will mark the company’s first new generation proposal in the state in a decade. The […]
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Trends
Vistra to Acquire 2.6 GW Gas Fleet for $1.9B, Citing Surging U.S. Power Demand
Vistra Corp. has agreed to acquire seven natural gas power plants totaling 2,557 MW from Lotus Infrastructure Partners for $1.9 billion, as part of a strategy to meet surging U.S. electricity demand and expand its competitive generation portfolio. The deal, announced on May 15, is valued at approximately $743 per kilowatt and includes five combined […]
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Legal & Regulatory
DOE Allocates First Round of HALEU to Five U.S. Advanced Nuclear Reactor Developers
In a critical step aimed at bolstering advanced reactor development and their domestic nuclear fuel readiness, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued its first round of allocations for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) under its HALEU Availability Program to five American nuclear developers. On April 9, the DOE said it made conditional commitments to […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Dow and X-energy Advance Landmark Nuclear Project in Texas With Construction Permit Filing
Advanced reactor developer X-energy and global materials science company Dow have submitted a construction permit application (CPA) to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR) project at Dow’s Union Carbide Corp. (UCC) Seadrift Operations in Calhoun County, Texas. The filing marks a major step forward for the much-watched commercial-scale […]
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Data Centers
The SMR Gamble: Betting on Nuclear to Fuel the Data Center Boom
Data center power demand is accelerating, pushing the grid to its limits and prompting tech giants to bet on next-generation nuclear reactors. But given steep costs, regulatory hurdles, and uncertain
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Coal
U.S. Coal Plants Get Reprieve as Market and Policies Change
Several U.S. utilities in recent months have said they plan to keep coal-fired units in their generation fleets operating past their scheduled retirement dates, in most cases citing increased demand for electricity in their service areas. Some also note that the Trump administration is likely to eschew enforcement of current pollution standards, and attempt to […]
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Trends
Texas A&M Launches SMR ‘Energy Proving Ground’ with Selection of Four Nuclear Firms
Texas A&M University System has unveiled four nuclear developers with which it plans to explore building and operating small modular reactor plants (SMRs) at its Texas A&M-RELLIS campus near College Station. The project—dubbed “The Energy Proving Ground”—is part of a state-supported initiative to deploy operational advanced reactors in Texas within the next five to seven […]
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Energy Security
Talen, PJM Reach Agreement to Keep 2 GW of Coal, Oil Generation Online for Reliability in Maryland
Talen Energy has reached an agreement with PJM Interconnection, the Maryland Public Service Commission, Maryland electric utilities, consumer representatives, and the Sierra Club to extend operations at its 1.3-GW coal-fired Brandon Shores power plant and 774-MW oil-fired H.A. Wagner units until May 31, 2029, under a reliability-must-run (RMR) contract. If approved by the Federal Energy […]
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Commentary
U.S. Energy Independence—Let’s Recycle Our Nuclear Waste
As an energy veteran with decades at the Department of Energy, I’ve witnessed the highs and lows of nuclear power in America. Now, with President Trump back in office, there’s an opportunity to not just revisit but truly revolutionize our approach to nuclear energy, particularly by closing the nuclear fuel cycle. This isn’t about starting […]
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