DOE

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 […]

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 […]

Small modular reactor (SMR) technology developer NuScale Power has unveiled research programs that could advance an energy system that integrates its nuclear technology to produce desalinated water and hydrogen, while reusing brine waste as an industrial feedstock. The research, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and […]

The U.S. Air Force has formally reaffirmed its selection of Oklo’s liquid metal-cooled fast reactor to provide nuclear energy at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, re-issuing a Notice of Intent to Award (NOITA) for the company’s Aurora Powerhouse following a comprehensive evaluation process. The June 10 announcement, issued by the Defense Logistics Agency Energy […]

The Trump administration moved forward with a controversial market intervention last month, ordering the aging J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in Michigan to remain open through the summer. The plant had been slated for retirement on May 31, and the unprecedented move, relying on the administration’s previous declaration of an energy emergency, raises a host […]

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) abrupt termination of 24 previously awarded projects—including four prominent power-related carbon capture projects— will rescind $3.7 billion in financial assistance from its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). In a terse press release on May 30, the DOE cited “a thorough and individualized financial review” in its justification for canceling […]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has invoked emergency authority to compel Puerto Rico’s public utility to dispatch mothballed oil-fired and fossil-fueled power units, citing an imminent threat to grid reliability following two major blackouts in less than a month. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, acting on behalf of the DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, […]

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 7 told lawmakers that the Department of Energy (DOE) is entering what he called “a golden era of American energy dominance,” outlining the Trump administration’s strategy to prioritize fossil fuels, nuclear power, grid modernization, and permitting reform, while positioning the U.S. to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) […]

In late March, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced it would eliminate four efficiency standards enacted during the Biden administration. In addition, the Trump administration has issued statements suggesting that the power to choose appliances and energy-efficiency standards should not belong to the federal government, setting the stage for a state-level approach.

The U.S. stands at a critical juncture. We’re experiencing electric load growth for the first time in decades, as fierce global competition reshapes the energy landscape. Nuclear power, both the resurgence of fission and the promise of fusion, could secure our energy future and position the U.S. as the global leader in energy technology for […]

Energy Secretary Chris Wright on April 22 announced the release of the third loan disbursement to Holtec for the reopening of the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan.

A company working to mass produce portable nuclear microreactors said its has accepted its selection by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) to receive high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel for the first test of Kaleidos, the group’s reactor design.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The U.S. Senate in a 59-38 vote has confirmed Colorado-based oil and gas executive Chris Wright as secretary of the Dept. of Energy (DOE). Seven Democrats, including both Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper from Wright’s home state, crossed party lines and voted with Republicans on Feb. 3 to confirm Wright. Angus King, the independent from […]

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has continued to announce billions of dollars of loan guarantees to energy companies in the final days of the Biden administration, including for upgrades to energy infrastructure. The DOE’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) on Jab. 16 said it had given a $1.66 billion loan guarantee to Plug Power’s subsidiary, […]

As we enter 2025, the world’s growing need for charging large battery storage in vehicles is driving many changes in how we generate, transmit, distribute and use energy. Against this backdrop, four major trends are poised to impact the energy sector in the coming year and beyond. We expect significant advancements to be seen in […]

The Biden administration has finalized a $15 billion loan guarantee to California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), in the biggest outlay to a single group in the history of the Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO). The Jan. 17 announcement comes one day after the outgoing administration said it would provide nearly […]

Constellation Energy said the company is applying for federal funding as it evaluates whether to put one or more small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) at its Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant in New York. Constellation in a news release on Jan. 15 said the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has […]

The need for emissions-free power generation, along with the ability to provide more power when and where it’s needed, is driving research and development of smaller nuclear reactors. Energy industry

President-elect Donald Trump announced that Chris Wright, the CEO and founder of Denver, Colorado-based Liberty Energy, will lead the Department of Energy (DOE) in the new administration. “I am thrilled to announce that Chris Wright will be joining my Administration as both United States Secretary of Energy, and Member of the newly formed Council of […]

Utilities recognizing the need to produce more electricity, in part to satisfy demand from data centers, may keep coal-fired units in operation longer than anticipated. A lessening of environmental regulations under the incoming Trump administration also means power generators are rethinking plans to retire their fossil fuel-burning facilities. Chris Womack, CEO of Southern Co., is […]

The U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE’s) Loan Programs Office (LPO) has published Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) for several projects that recently finalized financing from the agency. The projects include the restart of the Palisades nuclear power station in Michigan, which is expected next year. The DOE on Oct. 29 said the CBPs are part of […]

A company backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group and Ares Climate Infrastructure said three solar power of its projects are now online in Texas. SB Energy, a renewable energy group focused on utility-scale installations, said the solar farms—with about 900 MW of combined generation capacity—will support the state’s power grid and provide electricity for Google’s data […]

A report from a group that looks at economic conditions in the Appalachia region of the U.S. says a hydrogen hub proposed for the area already faces significant challenges. The Ohio River Valley Institute in a research brief published this month said five of the 15 originally proposed projects in the hub have been canceled, […]

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given the go-ahead for a major geothermal energy project in Utah. The agency announced final approval for Fervo Energy’s Cape Geothermal Power Project in Beaver County, which the BLM said would use advanced geothermal technology to produce up to 2 GW of electricity. The BLM, part of the […]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded contracts with a total potential value of $8 million to four nuclear fuel companies to further U.S. enrichment capabilities for high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), a critical piece of the next-generation nuclear supply chain. The selected companies include Centrus Energy’s American Centrifuge Operating, URENCO’s Louisiana Energy Services, Orano […]

A $900 million funding opportunity released by the Department of Energy (DOE) on Oct. 16 seeks to spur “first mover” teams that could deploy the first two Gen III+ light water small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. It will also provide funding for “fast follower” deployment support by addressing critical gaps that have long […]

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) announced six companies have successfully bid to provide deconversion services for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel to support advanced nuclear reactors. The DOE on October 8 announced the complete list of successful bidders. They include Nuclear Fuel Services, part of BWX Technologies (BWXT); American Centrifuge Operating, part of Centrus […]