Today we take the unusual step to devote a write up to highlight two significant commercial developments for a single company because of their importance for decarbonization of the industrial sector and for advanced reactor...more
On July 27, 2022, Senator Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Manchin (D-WV) reached an agreement to provide $369 billion for climate and energy projects in the proposed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA” or the...more
In an action that distinguishes the unique traits of advanced reactors from large, light water reactors, on July 13, 2022, the NRC Commission approved in SRM-SECY-20-0045 a new approach for determining where advanced reactors...more
In a recent decision that could have wide-ranging implications, the U.S. Supreme Court in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had overstepped its authority in...more
The world is increasingly recognizing that nuclear power can play a critical role in combatting climate change, while also providing critical energy security....more
While fuel prices skyrocket and energy supply and security concerns continue, interest in nuclear power is gaining momentum around the world....more
First, the Commission voted to not conduct a formal rulemaking on the NRC’s current environmental review process under 10 CFR Part 51. Separately, the staff proposed alternative timelines for a rulemaking to revise the...more
On April 12, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) staff completed its systematic assessment of how the NRC approaches environmental justice in its programs, policies and activities, by submitting to the...more
On April 7, 2022, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the International...more
On March 31, to address rising energy prices in the U.S. and globally, the Biden administration announced a record release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, of roughly one million barrels per day, every day for the next...more
On February 24, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued three unusual decisions pertaining to the agency’s review of subsequent license renewal (SLR) applications. The Commission orders reversed a previous...more
Energy experts and leaders gathered at the White House on March 17, 2022 for a summit on the commercialization of clean fusion energy. The summit, titled “Developing a Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy,” was...more
On March 8, 2022, the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union announced measures intended to eliminate or reduce their reliance on Russian energy imports. Until now, these countries had largely refrained from...more
On February 24, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued three unusual decisions pertaining to the agency’s review of subsequent license renewal (SLR) applications. The Commission orders reversed a previous...more
On February 11, 2022, Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office Nuclear Energy announced the launch of the $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program aimed at preserving the existing U.S. fleet of nuclear power reactors and the...more
In early 2022, blog author Amy Roma spoke with a Bloomberg Law reporter about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Part 53 rulemaking efforts to support advanced reactor licensing. Amy’s position is that the NRC...more
Those involved with advanced reactors are well aware of the issues associated with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel: advanced reactors need HALEU to operate, but the U.S. doesn’t have domestic production...more
On December 16, 2021, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)—the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, respectively—introduced a bill entitled “Fission for the...more
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) recently released a report entitled “Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Options” (UNECE Report; Report). The Report analyzes the environmental profiles of the full...more
On December 7, 2021, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) introduced legislation to change the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (“NRC”) fee structure for licensing advanced technology. The legislation,...more
On Friday, November 19, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the President’s roughly $2 trillion budget reconciliation package, voting 220 to 213 in favor of H.R. 5376 the Build Back Better Act (“Reconciliation...more
On Monday, November 15, 2021, the President signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“Infrastructure Bill” or the “Bill”), which contains a number of provisions supporting nuclear energy....more
To demonstrate its clean energy commitments ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, the United Kingdom (UK) recently published its national strategy on fusion energy (Fusion Strategy) alongside a paper...more
On October 21, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight & Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing titled “Judicious Spending to Enable Success at the Office of Nuclear Energy.” A recording of the hearing is...more
The U.S. has made significant commitments to decarbonize its electricity sector by 2035 and its economy by 2050. As the recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report highlights, following through on...more