The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on September 23 announced its approval of Critical Decision 1 for the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) project, a one-of-a-kind scientific user facility that would support research and development of innovative nuclear energy and other technologies.

An article published over the weekend in the Tacoma News Tribune reports that the Benton Public Utility District in Kennewick, Wash., is saying no to more wind farms. Even though utilities are moving to decarbonize the grid, a report from the Benton PUD says that more wind farms “will contribute very little to keeping the regional power grid reliable and will not help Benton PUD solve our seasonal energy deficit problems.”

As the voice of American nuclear engineers and scientists, ANS congratulates NuScale Power for receiving the first-ever final safety evaluation report for a small modular reactor issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Statement from American Nuclear Society’s Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy:

The American nuclear professional community is deeply disturbed by alleged political corruption in Ohio related to the passage of House Bill 6. If the allegations are true, they represent a breach of public trust that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

La Grange Park, IL– The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has introduced a new curated list of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) educational resources to its website. These collected resources can help educate ANS members and the nuclear science and technology community on the many facets of DEI.

Statement from the American Nuclear Society’s Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy on the draft FY 2021 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill issued by the House Appropriations Committee:

The U.S. Senate voted last week to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.4049, the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Debate on the legislation could take all this week, with hundreds of amendments already filed to the bill.

La Grange Park, IL – The American Nuclear Society (ANS) is proud to announce today its partnership with the Equal by 30 campaign. ANS joins over 145 other public and private sector organizations committed to taking concrete action toward achieving equal pay, equal leadership, and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.

La Grange Park, IL – The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has selected Patrick Snouffer as the 2020 recipient of the Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship. Snouffer is currently a senior nuclear engineer at Bechtel National, Inc. in Reston, Va.

La Grange Park, IL – The American Nuclear Society (ANS) honored nine of its members as new Fellows – the society’s highest member status – and presented additional awards this week during the 2020 ANS Virtual Annual Meeting.

The bestowing of ANS’s highest member status of Fellow to the nine members is out of recognition of their outstanding accomplishments in nuclear science and technology.

Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette announced a strategy for Restoring America's Competitive Nuclear Energy Advantage, a direct result of the efforts of the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group established by President Trump in July 2019.

Today the NRC announced that it would be cancelling next week's annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC). See the official announcement below:

Nuclear to see more time in the limelight. Here are seven hearings this week to keep on your radar:

• Tuesday, March 3, 9:30 am EST: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to examine the President's FY 2021 budget request for the Department of Energy. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette will provide testimony. To watch the hearing click here.

Yesterday afternoon Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette testified on the proposed FY2021 DOE budget before the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development (EWD). You can view the hearing here. Secretary Brouillette's next stop with the budget request will be before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee on March 3.

This morning the White House released its FY2021 budget request. We don't expect federal agencies to issue their detailed budget requests—known as Congressional Justifications, or "CJ's"—for another week or two. In the meantime, here's what we know now:

Yesterday, Appropriators released a two minibus package of FY 2020 measures for House passage today. Senate leadership will then plan to hold votes to clear the funding legislation for Drumpf's signature before the Friday funding deadline