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.
Technical Session|Panel|Panels
Saturday, April 5, 2025|9:00–10:20AM MDT|Tijeras
Session Chair:
Natalie Cannon (Georgia Tech)
Alternate Chair:
Xavier Angus
Session Organizer:
Ashley Machado
Nuclear policy is evolving to address concerns about climate change, energy security, and advances in technology. This panel will discuss the current state and future directions of nuclear policy with regard to recent legislation, regulatory frameworks and international agreements among other topics. Panelists from government agencies, academia, and advocacy organizations will detail policy trends and current initiatives that shape the nuclear industry's impact and growth.
Kathryn Huff
U.S. Department of Energy-DC
Matthew Marzano
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Craig Piercy
CEO
ANS
To join the conversation, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Register NowLog In
