Nuclear

  • Vattenfall Narrows SMR Field to Two Finalists: GE Vernova’s BWRX-300 and Rolls-Royce SMR

    Swedish utility Vattenfall has narrowed its small modular reactor (SMR) supplier selection to two finalists—GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GVH’s) BWRX-300 and the Rolls-Royce SMR—for potential construction of new nuclear capacity adjacent to its Ringhals plant site on Sweden’s Värö Peninsula. The announcement represents a critical step in what could become Sweden’s first new nuclear build project in more than 40 years. While the utility ultimately intends […]

  • Debunking Nuclear Power’s Biggest Misconceptions and Why It’s Needed Today

    Despite nuclear power’s unmatched ability to produce reliable, carbon-free energy at scale, it is often dismissed by clean energy advocates in favor of renewable resources like wind and solar. Cost arguments and public misconceptions around safety and radioactive waste have kept it out of many mainstream climate strategies. But as Tim Gregory argues in his […]

  • Aalo Atomics Secures Capital, Regulatory Backing for 2026 Modular Nuclear Project at INL, Eyes Potential First Data Center Pairing

    Advanced nuclear firm Aalo Atomics has secured new capital and regulatory backing to complete construction of its 10-MWe Aalo-X reactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The project, recently selected under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) new Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, will demonstrate cold criticality by July 2026 in an unusually aggressive federal milestone for advanced […]

  • Powering the Data Center Future: Understanding the Resurgence of Nuclear

    With billions of dollars pouring into the sector from power players like Google and Amazon, the data center industry is having a moment. But this surge in investment and interest has also brought up serious questions—particularly around how we are going to power these massive computing engines. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data […]

  • TVA Inks First U.S. Utility PPA for Gen IV Nuclear Power in Landmark Three-Way Deal with Google, Kairos

    The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has signed a first-of-its-kind power purchase agreement (PPA) with advanced nuclear technology firm Kairos Power to buy power from the company’s planned Hermes 2, a molten salt nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The deal makes TVA the first U.S. utility to contract for electricity from a Gen-IV reactor. Under […]

  • Nuclear Industry Ponders Risks of Building New Reactors

    Everybody is now jumping on the pro-nuclear bandwagon. With U.S. electricity demand ramping up due to the rapid build-out of energy-intensive data centers across the country, there is finally broad political and business support for dispatchable 24/7 nuclear power to help meet projected load growth and ensure overall grid reliability. The Trump White House, the […]

  • DOE Approves Fifth Loan Disbursement to Holtec for Historic Restart of Palisades Nuclear Plant

    The U.S. Department of Energy released an $83.2 million loan disbursement to Holtec International on Thursday, bringing total federal funding to $335.1 million as the company moves toward completing America’s first commercial nuclear reactor restart. The fifth installment under DOE’s $1.52 billion loan guarantee follows key Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)  approvals that authorized Holtec to […]

  • Trump Administration to Overhaul Drone Rules, Fast-Track Nuclear Reactor Deployment on the Moon

    The Trump administration has proposed new drone regulations that will eliminate case-by-case approval processes for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)  operations, while Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy confirmed accelerated plans to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and […]

  • POWER Digest August 2025

    MHI to Supply Four Circulating Water Pumps for Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant in China. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) received an order for the supply of four circulating water pumps (CWP) for Units 5 and

  • One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What It Means to the Power Industry

    On July 4, 2025, President Trump officially signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) into law. The White House called it “a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation.” The power sector is among

  • Nuclear Power: A Critical Pillar for U.S. Economic Growth and National Security

    Nuclear power has emerged as a linchpin for U.S. goals for energy and national security. The nuclear sector has a long history of bipartisan support in the federal government.

  • Improving the Efficiency of Power Plant Cooling Ponds

    As electricity demand soars during summer heat waves, many power plants find themselves constrained by their ability to cool water efficiently for reuse. Innovative floating cooling technology is enabling

  • Hybridization of Power Generation

    Sponsored by:
    Siemens Energy

    The whitepaper discusses the integration of hybrid power plants in the energy sector, emphasizing their role in addressing the challenges of renewable energy integration. It highlights the importance of hybrid plants in meeting global energy demands by combining multiple power generation and storage strategies. The document outlines the benefits of flexibility, cost reduction, and emission control provided […]

  • Energy Allies: Communities and Utilities Building Resilience Together

    Sponsored by:
    Ameresco

    Extreme weather and aging grid infrastructure are causing longer, more frequent power outages—making energy resilience a growing priority for utilities and communities. This new resource features a range of strategies for strengthening local energy systems, with a focus on how strategic partnerships between municipalities and utilities are driving positive results. You’ll explore five case studies […]

  • Nuclear Developer Oklo Advances Dual Alliances Targeting Data Center and Industrial Power Needs

    Advanced nuclear technology company Oklo entered into two separate high-profile collaborative agreements this week that seek to supply integrated energy solutions to data centers and large load industrial operations. The alliances—one with Liberty Energy, an energy services and technologies firm, and another with critical digital infrastructure provider Vertiv—mark the newest notch in the growing market […]

  • Mirion Technologies Launches Vital Platform for Nuclear Industry

    Mirion Technologies, a leading provider of advanced radiation safety solutions, has announced the launch of the Vital Platform. This software offers a single, unified system for accessing data across nuclear power sites to work more efficiently, enhance worker safety, and solve operational challenges faster. The launch includes the platform’s first application, Vital Supervision, designed to […]

  • Nuclear at Sea: Navigating Regulatory Confluence

    A new paper titled “Facilitating Global Deployment of Floating Nuclear Power Plants” has been published by World Nuclear Association’s Cooperation in Reactor Design Evaluation and Licensing (CORDEL) Working Group. This paper highlights the benefits of the technology and focuses on progress made in the regulatory space, which is required for their international deployment. The pledged […]

  • Westinghouse, Radiant Selected for First Fueled Nuclear Microreactor Tests at INL’s DOME Facility

    Nuclear microreactors developed separately by Westinghouse and Radiant are poised to become the first fueled designs tested at the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) facility—the world’s first dedicated microreactor test bed slated to open at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in early 2026. The first fueled experiment is expected to begin as early as spring 2026. […]

  • Why Nuclear Maintenance Equipment Requires a Single-Source Solution

    There is no room for missteps, miscommunication, or misunderstandings when it comes to nuclear maintenance. It demands precision, speed, and accountability. The tools and systems used during outages must function flawlessly, because when they don’t, the cost is more than money—it’s exposure, downtime, and slipping maintenance schedules. Some nuclear plants use a segmented model for […]

  • Renewable Energy Surges, but Grid Crisis Looms as Demand Grows and Policies Shift

    The U.S. electric power sector is experiencing a surge in renewable energy deployment, yet the grid faces mounting pressure from skyrocketing demand and shifting federal policies. As data centers and

  • Taiwan’s Tech Industry Driving Country’s Energy Demand

    Taiwan is among several countries experiencing an energy crisis, with its supply of power struggling to keep up with demand from a rapidly growing high-tech sector. The country has long depended on imported

  • Westinghouse, ITER Sign $180-Million Contract to Advance Nuclear Fusion

    Westinghouse Electric Co. and officials with the ITER project in France signed a contract for $180 million for the assembly of the vacuum vessel for the fusion reactor. This is a key milestone in the construction of the ITER reactor, leading the way toward the use of fusion as a practical future source of reliable carbon-free energy.

  • Google Signs Deal to Buy Fusion Energy from Future Virginia Plant

    Tech giant Google has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) to buy at least 200 MW of energy from CFS’s planned fusion-based power plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

  • Groups Partnering to Develop AI Software to Speed Nuclear Reactor Construction

    A software group that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help automate processes said it was joining with a nuclear power deployment company on an AI-driven system to accelerate construction of nuclear reactors. Palantir Technologies on June 26 said it will work with The Nuclear Company, a nuclear power startup, to jointly create a nuclear operating […]

  • Deadline vs. Deployment: Can U.S. Advanced Reactors Meet DOE’s 2026 Criticality Goal?

    In a new pilot program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an ambitious challenge: bring at least three advanced nuclear test reactors to criticality by July 4, 2026. Announced in June, the program sidesteps traditional Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing, seeking instead to authorize full-scale reactors on private sites through DOE’s internal review process. […]

  • DOE Pilot Program Targets Three Nuclear Test Reactors for 2026 Criticality Under Department Authorization

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a novel pilot program that will allow private developers to build and operate full-scale advanced nuclear test reactors outside of the national laboratory system, without a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Through a new authorization model grounded in the Atomic Energy Act and a Trump-era […]

  • Understanding TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor Design and Demonstration Project Progress

    In the proverbial shadow of the Naughton Power Plant, a station in Kemmerer, Wyoming, that will stop burning coal at the end of this year, TerraPower is constructing what it calls “the only advanced, non-light-water reactor in the Western Hemisphere being built today.” The project represents more than just a new power source—it’s a symbolic […]

  • Centrus Completes 900-kg HALEU Delivery to DOE in U.S. Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Milestone

    Centrus Energy has produced and delivered 900 kilograms (kg) of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), completing Phase II of its pioneering enrichment contract with the agency. The shipment marks the first significant domestic production of HALEU—a specialized fuel required for many advanced reactors now under development—and stands as a […]

  • New York Gov. Says State Will Build New Nuclear Power Plant

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is ready to build a utility-scale nuclear power plant and would seek funding from the private sector to make it a reality. The governor on June 23 provided few details about the project, except to say it likely would be located in an upstate location.

  • How Digital Modeling of Materials Will Make Next Generation Nuclear Possible

    A revolution is underway in the nuclear energy sector. For the first time in decades, the field is brimming with urgency, ambition, and capital. Buoyed by growing energy demands, geopolitical recalibration, and climate pressures, nuclear power is undergoing a renaissance, one that will be driven not just by next-generation reactor designs, but by the materials […]