Physical protection accounts for a significant portion of a nuclear power plant’s operational costs. As the U.S. moves toward smaller and safer advanced reactors, similar protection strategies could prove cost prohibitive. For tomorrow’s small modular reactors and microreactors, security costs must remain appropriate to the size of the reactor for economical operation.
Last Energy, Texas, Utah allege NRC overstepping in SMR regulation
Advanced nuclear reactor company Last Energy joined with two Republican state attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, arguing that some microreactors should...
Oklo and Switch partner on nuclear
Advanced nuclear company Oklo and data center developer Switch closed out 2024 by announcing a new partnership to deploy 12 GW of advanced nuclear power under a master power agreement....
A series of firsts delivers new Plant Vogtle units
Southern Nuclear was first when no one wanted to be. The nuclear subsidiary of the century-old utility Southern Company, based in Atlanta, Ga., joined a pack of nuclear companies in the early...
Wyoming OKs construction of TerraPower’s Natrium plant
Progress continues for TerraPower’s Natrium plant, with the latest win coming in the form of a state permit for construction of nonnuclear portions of the advanced reactor....
DOE offering $13M grant program for advanced reactor licensing
The Department of Energy has announced a competitive funding opportunity of up to $13 million to help first movers defray the licensing costs of bringing advanced nuclear reactors to market....
Marzano sworn in as NRC commissioner
Matthew Marzano became the newest member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission when he was officially sworn into office by chair Christopher Hanson this week.The nuclear engineer and former...
First GAIN vouchers of 2025 go to Curio, Deep Fission, Kairos, and NuCube Energy
The Department of Energy’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) has awarded four fiscal year 2025 vouchers to support the development of advanced nuclear technologies. Each...
Palisades steam generator repairs on NRC docket
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hosting a hybrid public meeting with Holtec next week to discuss plans for needed repairs at Michigan’s Palisades nuclear plant before bringing the unit...
NRC issues subsequent license renewal to Monticello plant
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed for a second time the operating license for Unit 1 of Minnesota’s Monticello nuclear power plant....
Modeling the change: Commissioner Wright leads by example as the NRC faces its future
There is a modern-day parable that NRC commissioner David Wright likes to reflect on from time to time, the story of a janitor on a mission. On a visit to NASA in the 1960s, or so the story...