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
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory, has published an updated set of recommendations to reform and streamline nuclear energy licensing. The INL/RPT-25-84292, “Recommendations...more
Surging demand for generative artificial intelligence and data centers, among other drivers, in recent years has led to a revived interest in nuclear energy. While large nuclear power plants provide about 20% of our country’s...more
The nuclear energy industry continues to gain momentum and has a strong outlook for 2025 and beyond. This positive forecast is buoyed by support from both major political parties, increased demand, technical advancements, and...more
The U.S. Supreme Court on March 5, 2025, heard oral argument in two cases related to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) authority to license temporary spent fuel storage facilities that are not co-located with a...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’s Office of Investigations (OI) recently published its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024, summarizing its activities from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. According to the annual report, OI opened 82 new...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
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) requires federal agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions. That statute also...more
In the face of ever-increasing electricity supply demands across the country, the future is looking very bright for the nuclear energy industry. We review below recent policy and market developments that can inform what lies...more
The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 4, 2024, granted certiorari in two cases related to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) authority to license temporary spent fuel storage facilities that are not co-located with a...more
Today, the Supreme Court announced that it is taking up a case related to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (“NRC”) ability to license away-from-reactor interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. By hearing the case in the...more
The demand for energy is anticipated to rise significantly due to the increased deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which are highly energy intensive. As we discussed in a recent thought leadership piece,...more
The first half of 2024 has been a dynamic period for the nuclear energy industry, marked by significant legislative and regulatory developments, evolving enforcement trends, and a continued focus on innovation and public...more
On July 18, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) approved a new process to help streamline the agency’s mandatory hearings. The new process will go into effect immediately and should dramatically shorten the time...more
The US Supreme Court’s recent Loper Bright decision overturned its 1984 Chevron decision, which, over the last 40 years, had become a fundamental doctrine in administrative law. That doctrine, known as the “Chevron...more
On June 18, 2024, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act by a vote of 88-2. The Act was signed into law by President Biden on July 9, 2024. The ADVANCE...more
On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, President Biden signed into law the most comprehensive energy-related bill since the Inflation Reduction Act—and it’s all about nuclear energy. This new law will support the deployment of nuclear...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
The Defense Innovation Unit has released a solicitation seeking Solution Briefs for full lifecycle micro-reactor power plant(s) that would start operations at an Army installation in the continental United States before the...more
Morgan Lewis routinely assists licensees in connection with NRC allegations, investigations, and enforcement. The following are summaries of trends and findings in the NRC’s 2023 Allegation Program Annual Trends Report and...more
An updated version of the ADVANCE Act—broad-ranging legislation intended to support deployment of new nuclear reactors in both the United States and abroad, among other things, received strong movement forward this past week...more
The NRC’s Acting Executive Director for Operations recently issued the results from the NRC staff’s annual Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) self-assessment for calendar year 2023. Out of the 17 metrics it evaluated, the NRC...more
Holtec Palisades is the first project to receive a conditional funding commitment from the U.S. government through the Inflation Reduction Act's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment ("EIR") program....more