ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
May 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Getting back to yes: A local perspective on decommissioning, restart, and responsibility
For 45 years, Duane Arnold Energy Center operated in Linn County, Ia., near the town of Palo and just northwest of Cedar Rapids. The facility, owned by NextEra Energy, was the only nuclear power plant in the state.
In August 2020, a historic derecho swept across eastern Iowa with winds approaching 140 miles per hour. Damage to the plant’s cooling towers accelerated a shutdown that had already been planned, and the facility entered decommissioning soon after, with its fuel removed in October of that year. Iowa’s only nuclear plant had gone off line.
Today the national energy landscape looks very different than it did just six short years ago. Electricity demand is rising rapidly as data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and electrification expand across the country. Reliable, carbon-free baseload power has become increasingly valuable. In that context, Linn County has approved the rezoning necessary to support the recommissioning and restart of Duane Arnold and is actively supporting NextEra’s efforts to secure the remaining state and federal approvals.
9:30–11:10AM EST
Ossabaw
Session Chair: Michael Marler|Alternate Chair: Billy Wilson
Talbot
Session Chair: Bert Barnes|Alternate Chair: Charles Lease
Conference 2/3
Session Chair: Douglas Batche|Alternate Chair: Jeff Walton
1:00–2:40PM EST
Session Chair: Thomas S. Dean
Session Chair: Russ Coon|Alternate Chair: Dan Randolph
Session Chair: Patrick J. Berry
3:20–5:00PM EST
Panel|Amelia 3/4
Session Chair: Gregg Ludlam|Alternate Chair: Patrick J. Berry
8:00–9:40AM EST
Session Chair: Ray Dean|Alternate Chair: Lisa Marshall
Session Chair: Juan Cortez|Alternate Chair: Jim Caery
10:10–11:50AM EST
Session Chair: Gerry Hildebrandt|Alternate Chair: Michael Marler
Session Chair: Michael Johnson|Alternate Chair: Bert Barnes
1:10–2:50PM EST
Session Chair: Lisa Marshall|Alternate Chair: Douglas Batche
Session Chair: Jim Caery|Alternate Chair: Tom Dean
Session Chair: Alan Lowe|Alternate Chair: Russ Coon
Session Chair: Dan Randolph|Alternate Chair: Gregg Ludlam
Session Chair: Dave Helling|Alternate Chair: Juan Cortez
Session Chair: Jeff Walton|Alternate Chair: Ray Dean
10:00–11:40AM EST
Session Chair: Charles Lease|Alternate Chair: Gerry Hildebrandt
Session Chair: Billy Wilson|Alternate Chair: Michael Johnson
