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2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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The top 10 states of nuclear
The past few years have seen a concerted effort from many U.S. states to encourage nuclear development. The momentum behind nuclear-friendly policies has grown considerably, with many states repealing moratoriums, courting nuclear developers and suppliers, and in some cases creating advisory groups and road maps to push deployment of new nuclear reactors.
2021 CONTE Virtual Meeting Plenary Session Speaker
Maria Lacal is Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Lacal is responsible for all nuclear-related activities associated with the Palo Verde Generating Station, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy. She is also responsible for the nuclear assurance division and employee concerns and safety culture programs. Lacal joined APS in 2007 as the director of strategic projects at Palo Verde. She was promoted to vice president of operations support in 2011, and then promoted to senior vice president of regulatory and oversight in 2015. Before joining APS, Lacal served as director of operations support for the nuclear division of Florida Power & Light Co., and held management positions at Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in Florida. Lacal obtained a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Senior Reactor Operator License in 1996. Lacal also has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Miami and completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
Last modified December 7, 2020, 4:35pm EST
