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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.
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS-2022) Plenary SPeaker
Space And Advanced Manufacturing Product Line Manager
BWXT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Kate H. Kelly is the Space and Advanced Manufacturing Product Line Manager for BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, leading the strategy and execution of the space and advanced manufacturing portfolio.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Kelly was the Advanced Nuclear Systems Program Manager, focused on the development of nuclear projects to promote the company’s R&D interests in advanced manufacturing and nuclear thermal propulsion technologies. Ms. Kelly worked at BWXT’s Nuclear Operations Group in Lynchburg, Virginia in project management, quality control and operational excellence. Her previous responsibilities include managing a next-generation reactor manufacturing development project, overseeing quality trending and performance initiatives, and leading cost reduction and improvement projects. She joined the company in 2012 as a system design engineer on BWXT’s small modular reactor (SMR) program.
Ms. Kelly earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and has Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Project Management Professional® certifications.
Ms. Kelly was recognized by Lynchburg Business Magazine and in Woman Engineer Magazine in 2020 for her work at BWXT and in the community.
Last modified April 14, 2022, 11:58am EDT
