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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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Getting back to yes: A local perspective on decommissioning, restart, and responsibility
For 45 years, Duane Arnold Energy Center operated in Linn County, Ia., near the town of Palo and just northwest of Cedar Rapids. The facility, owned by NextEra Energy, was the only nuclear power plant in the state.
In August 2020, a historic derecho swept across eastern Iowa with winds approaching 140 miles per hour. Damage to the plant’s cooling towers accelerated a shutdown that had already been planned, and the facility entered decommissioning soon after, with its fuel removed in October of that year. Iowa’s only nuclear plant had gone off line.
Today the national energy landscape looks very different than it did just six short years ago. Electricity demand is rising rapidly as data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and electrification expand across the country. Reliable, carbon-free baseload power has become increasingly valuable. In that context, Linn County has approved the rezoning necessary to support the recommissioning and restart of Duane Arnold and is actively supporting NextEra’s efforts to secure the remaining state and federal approvals.
Technical Session|Panel|Panels
Tuesday, October 8, 2024|3:15–5:00PM MDT|Room 3
Session Chair:
Mackenzie L. Gorham (Idaho State)
Session Organizer:
In response to a growing need for Engineering Technicians in the energy sector, the College of Technology at Idaho State University has established the Energy Systems Technology and Education Center (ESTEC) on the Idaho State University campus in Pocatello, Idaho. ESTEC offers one Basic Technical Certificate, two Intermediate Technical Certificate, and six Associate of Applied Science degrees. ESTEC provides a unique approach to educating students by providing the specific knowledge and skills needed in energy production. The skills requirements have been developed in partnership with energy utilities and vendors to assure that program graduates enter the workforce with the precise skills required by the energy industry in a broad spectrum of electrical, nuclear, coal, gas, renewable technologies. and allied manufacturing sectors. Students learn through traditional classroom experience as well as through extensive laboratory exercises. The panel will consist of current staff, students, graduates, and employers, and the discussion will facilitate commentary on operations and maintenance workforce needs and development, and how partnering closely with technical colleges and universities can provide a needed hiring pipeline of qualified and competent entry-level technicians.
Michael Ruddell
INL NRAD
Jimmy Spells
Idaho Environmental Coalition
Michael Stevenson
INL MFC
Kevin Smith
INL ATR
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