The new administration has repeatedly expressed its staunch support for nuclear energy. President Trump’s first-day executive order “Unleashing American Energy” specifically encouraged the development of nuclear energy...more
In April 2023, we reported on federal efforts to streamline fusion energy regulations. At that time, the Commissioners of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) voted to approve a proposal expected to accelerate the...more
The U.S. is considering alternatives to multibillion-dollar power capacity auctions as demand surges, driven by AI and data centers. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a two-day conference in June 2025...more
The NRC recently issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2025-02, which asks reactor licensees to voluntarily provide information about their plans for power-uprate licensing submittals. The NRC will use this information to set...more
Complaint filed United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas (Case No. 6:24-cv-00507) - KEY TAKEAWAYS - The States of Texas and Utah, together with private developer Last Energy, have sued to exempt certain...more
Congress passed the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act (ADVANCE Act) in June 2024, which includes several provisions to encourage the development of nuclear energy infrastructure....more
Morgan Lewis’s energy lawyers regularly track developments impacting the nuclear industry on the firm’s Up & Atom blog. Throughout 2023, the team provided updates on new rules and guidance from the US Nuclear Regulatory...more
The move represents a step forward for the small modular nuclear reactor industry, but legislative uncertainty over new nuclear facilities in the US remains. As part of long-range plans to address climate change, many...more
In April 2023, Idaho National Laboratory (“INL”), a U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) National Laboratory, published a report entitled “Recommendations to Improve the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactor Licensing and...more
The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) recently completed a report titled “America’s Strategy to Secure the Supply Chain for a Robust Clean Energy Transition” on what it will take to secure the supply chains necessary to...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
On July 15, 2020, the White House Council on Environmental Quality implemented sweeping amendments to modernize and streamline NEPA environmental reviews. These amendments stand to have a trickle-down effect on the nuclear...more
Energy and Climate Debate - Following a busy week for the Obama Administration during which it held several energy and climate events in anticipation of the international climate negotiations at the end of the year in...more
In This Issue: Energy and Climate Debate; Congress; Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Energy; Department of Interior; Environmental Protection Agency; Nuclear Regulatory Commission;...more