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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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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.
Technical Session|Panel|Radioisotope Power Systems
Tuesday, May 7, 2024|10:00–11:40AM MDT|Sweeney F
Session Chair:
Harsh Desai
Alternate Chair:
Session Organizer:
There has been a rapid growth in demand for space exploration and utilization of nuclear systems from both government and commercial customers. With multiple projects executing between AFRL, DARPA, and NASA, there has been significant progress in advancing commercial technologies for radioisotope power systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, and fission surface power. For successful deployment of these space nuclear systems, the nuclear industry will need to establish a resilient, affordable, and a sustainable supply chain for HALEU and radioisotopes. This panel assembles experts to deliberate on the crucial task of ensuring that the nuclear supply chain is well-equipped to meet this burgeoning need.
James Daffron
U.S. Dept. of Energy/Oak Ridge Environmental Management
Ken Rueter
United Cleanup Oak Ridge
Danielle Gagen
Westinghouse Electric Co.
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