Full Coverage
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Renewables
DOE’s Loan Programs Office Offers Game-Changing Possibilities
As the presidential inauguration loomed on the horizon in January this year, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Loan Programs Office (LPO) published a “year-in-review” article, highlighting accomplishments from 2024 and looking ahead to the future. It noted that the previous four years had been the most productive in the LPO’s history. “Under the Biden-Harris […]
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Nuclear
Canada Approves First Grid-Scale SMR Construction at Darlington
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has given Ontario Power Generation (OPG) the green light to begin building a 300-MW GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) site in Clarington, Ontario. The historic approval marks the first time Canada has approved the construction of a grid-scale SMR. The federal […]
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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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Management
Implementing Decentralization: A Strategic Roadmap for Utilities
As traditional utilities embrace decentralization, the journey requires more than just adopting new field technologies. According to McKinsey’s Global Energy Perspective 2024 report, the global energy transition is entering a new phase of rising costs, complexity, and increased technology challenges. This transition requires not only technological solutions, but also a comprehensive strategy. McKinsey notes that significant […]
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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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Legal & Regulatory
Nation’s Power Operators Warn Congress of a Coming Reliability Shortfall
Seven major U.S. grid operators have raised a unified alarm about an impending capacity crunch, warning that the pace and scale of explosive demand—including from data centers, manufacturing, and electrification—pose a precarious misalignment with accelerating generator retirements and transmission constraints. At a March 25 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, the […]
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Nuclear
TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear Power Project: Where Things Stand Today
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has for many years been evaluating emerging nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors, as part of technology innovation efforts aimed at developing the energy system of the future. TVA—the largest public power provider in the U.S., serving more than 10 million people in parts of seven states—currently operates seven reactors […]
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O&M
AI-Driven Predictive Maintenance: The Future of Reliability in Power Plants
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the energy sector, helping power plant operators optimize efficiency, reduce emissions, and prevent costly equipment failures. By analyzing vast amounts of real-time data, AI models can identify anomalies in equipment behavior, optimize fuel consumption, and enhance overall plant performance. According to industry estimates, AI-driven analytics can reduce maintenance costs by […]
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Trends
EIA’s Perspective on Price Volatility Needs Context
In January, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said U.S. wholesale electricity prices were less volatile in 2024 than they have been over the last few years. But that’s just one, limited perspective on the data. If we consider the macrotrends at play, it’s clear that U.S. markets won’t return any time soon—if ever—to the […]
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Gas
Gas Power’s Boom Sparks a Turbine Supply Crunch
Gas power is experiencing a stunning resurgence, driven by soaring electricity demand. But as utilities scramble to secure new capacity, a turbine supply crunch is unfolding, forcing urgent procurement