Nuclear workshop looks to the future after National Academies report

In response to the numerous conclusions and recommendations made by the report, attendees discussed an extensive range of topics. These included the shifting nuclear energy landscape; willingness to invest in new technologies; changing workforce needs; the fluctuating regulatory environment, especially pertaining to 2024’s ADVANCE Act; engaging with host communities; and the impact and viability of nuclear investment.

Report context: The study committee met frequently over the course of two years, often meeting with federal agencies, vendors, and other stakeholders interested in advanced nuclear reactors in order to gather a wide spectrum of information.

The work culminated in Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States, a 2023 report that was rigorously peer reviewed by the National Academies. The report identifies opportunities and barriers to advanced nuclear reactor commercialization in the United States over the next 30 years and concludes with a host of recommendations pertaining to regulations, federal funding, the workforce, investment, community engagement, and research.

The workshop: The National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C., played host to various panels held January 29–30 at a workshop titled “Pathways for New Nuclear Development.” During one panel, Lisa Marshall, president of ANS and director of outreach, retention, and engagement in the North Carolina State University Department of Nuclear Engineering, remarked broadly on the state of nuclear today, saying, “We’re not at a renaissance. We’re not dying. We are expanding.” Similar sentiments were expressed by many of the panelists.

Other speakers presented on the factors driving the renewed U.S. interest in nuclear energy, from the desire for clean electricity and energy security to the “huge growth in electricity demand, driven by the needs of artificial intelligence and data centers,” as discussed by Richard Meserve, senior of counsel for Covington & Burling LLP and former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Economics and Big Tech: Several conversations centered around the need for the nuclear power industry to be economically competitive with other energy sources. Chad Eaton, director of government affairs and energy strategy for Nucor Corporation, presented one possible path to viability through U.S. hyperscalers—large cloud service providers that offer off-site data storage and other computing services, whose immense energy demands could validate the need for electric utility companies to undertake the investments that nuclear projects require.

Representatives from both Google and Amazon acknowledged nuclear’s place in a carbon-neutral future. Lucia Tian, who leads Google’s advanced clean energy technologies unit, said, “In order to achieve our 24/7 carbon-free, net-zero goals, we need an all-of-the-above portfolio approach when it comes to technologies, and as a clean, firm resource, nuclear has to be part of that picture to complement our renewables.”

Faraz Ahmad, head of Net Zero Electricity for Amazon’s Global Clean Energy team, agreed, saying, “If we want different outcomes, we’re going to have to do things differently than we have before. . . . The key characteristics, as we evaluate all carbon-free electricity generation sources, are around speed and scale, and scalability is a really key evaluation criterion.”

Host communities: The workshop also addressed how policymakers and developers of nuclear projects can better engage with host communities and address their apprehensions and concerns. The goal is to build long-term trust and support so that “these communities are not just host sites but can take an active role in shaping their futures,” said Host Community Perspectives panelist Christi Bell, director of University of Alaska’s Business Enterprise Institute.

Looking to the future: Chris Nolan, vice president of new nuclear generation strategy and regulatory engagement at Duke Energy, talked on a timelines and decision-making panel about the company’s plans to deploy new nuclear energy at existing coal sites so they can “reuse the infrastructure, continue our commitment to the community, and retrain the workers for new deployment.”

According to Nolan, “When you’re comparing the cost of nuclear to gas and coal on the short term, they don’t compare as well, but when you’re looking at it as a generational investment, obviously [nuclear is] a much better option.” As he put it, building a future for nuclear energy “requires a different kind of decision-making.”