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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
April 2026
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Latest News
NRC to add new items to categorical exclusions list
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has identified five categories of action to add to its list of categorical exclusions to reduce its documentation work under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures.
These revisions are included in the final rule, “Categorical exclusions from environmental review,” which was published in the Federal Register on March 30. The final rule will become effective on April 29.
UWC Opening Plenary: Driving Transformational Change Keynote SPeaker
Chief Generation Officer and Executive Vice President
Tim O’Connor is Executive Vice President and Chief Generation Officer for Xcel Energy in 2020. He is responsible for all generation assets within Xcel and its jurisdictions nuclear, fossil, hydro and renewables. Responsible for enterprise supply chain and commercial operations which include fuels and energy markets.
Mr. O’Connor was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer for Xcel Energy in 2012. He was responsible for the Xcel nuclear strategic direction, business plans, finance, and operations for the company. That includes corporate, the operations of the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear generating plants, and the decommissioning and nuclear fuel storage. In June 2012, he was appointed Vice President of Corporate Engineering/Nuclear Regulatory Compliance and Licensing for the nuclear fleet after 5 years as Monticello site vice president.
Mr. O’Connor joined Xcel Energy in 2007 as Site Vice President at the Monticello plant. He has over 38 years of commercial nuclear experience with both boiling water and pressurized water reactors. During that period of time, Mr. O’Connor has held a variety of senior leadership and executive leadership positions in several utilities and sites and variety of complex situations. This also included a position with the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) as a Nuclear Plant Evaluation Team Manager on a reverse loaned assignment. Mr. O’Connor received his mechanical engineering degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and has completed several executive business programs with the Chicago Kellogg School of Business and with GAP International.
He serves on the executive advisor group for the DOE/INL Nuclear Science and Technology areas, the Holtec Decommissioning Industry Advisory Group, NEI coalition of the Nuclear Strategic Industry Advisory Committee, NEI Chairman of the Industry High Level Waste Committee, USA Board of Directors and Terrestrial Energy Industry Advisory Committee. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Minneapolis St. Paul Jeremiah charitable organization for single mothers.
Last modified July 16, 2020, 2:16pm EDT
