Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering Paul Wilson (third from left) shares details about UW-Madison’s TRIGA reactor with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (second from left) in February 2026. (Photo: Taylor Wolfram/UW-Madison)
With more than six decades as a top-ranked program in its rearview, the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics (NEEP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is hardly slowing down. In fact, NEEP is continuing to grow and develop its faculty, curriculum, and research.
A conceptual model of a laser-based fusion power plant. A key difference from NIF is the ability to inject targets into the chamber rapidly, without needing to insert a long arm to precisely position the target. Targets would enter the chamber from the top at roughly 10 times per second in this model. (Image: Eric Smith)
Commercial fusion power is closer than ever. There are now around 30 U.S. fusion companies, several of which claim to be on track to connect to the grid as early as the 2030s.
Tokamak and laser inertial confinement approaches benefit from decades of research at facilities such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and ITER, with alternative concepts including stellarator, magnetic mirror, and Z-pinch confinement also making notable progress as private and government funding for fusion increases.
July 17, 2026, 4:17PMNuclear NewsStephanie Morrow and Niav Hughes Green Multipanel touchscreen displays showing reactor system indicators and alarms used for human factors research. (Photo: NRC)
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Peters, president and CEO of MITRE, is responsible for governance and oversight of the company’s diverse markets. (Photo: MITRE)
Summer at the American Nuclear Society carries with it a sense of renewed momentum as the incoming president takes office and starts making plans for the year ahead. This has been particularly true in the last few years, as nuclear energy moves into a new era marked by broader public interest, stronger policy support, and a growing sense of possibility across the field. Mark Peters, the Society’s 72nd president, shares that optimism—and he is focused on turning it into results.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory.
In 2019, a familiar landmark at Idaho National Laboratory was scheduled for demolition. Though striking for both its physical presence and its significance to nuclear history, the containment dome that once housed Experimental Breeder Reactor-II sat unused—that is, until INL realized its potential as a reactor testing facility.
Wolf Creek nuclear power plant. (Photo: Evergy)
Evergy’s Wolf Creek Generating Station, near Burlington, is the only nuclear power plant in Kansas. In addition to generating 20 percent of the state’s electricity—enough to power 800,000 homes—it has been generating educational opportunities by providing internships and co-op employment to nuclear engineering students from universities around the Midwest for 35 years.
A depiction of Hermes 2. (Image: Kairos Power)
The drive to Kairos Power’s reactor demonstration site in Oak Ridge, Tenn., is not only scenic—it’s historic. Nearly 85 years ago, roughly 30,000 construction workers transformed orchards and farmland into a key Manhattan Project site. Depending on your route, you may pass by one of the three gatehouses that were once military checkpoints controlling access to Atomic Energy Commission production facilities.
The basemat is suspended from a heavy crawler crane before being lowered to the bottom of an excavated and prepared 35-meter-deep reactor shaft. (Photo: OPG)
“The nuclear renaissance is real here,” said Ontario Power Generation’s Subo Sinnathamby on May 8, one year to the day after OPG secured a final investment decision to build the first of four planned BWRX-300 reactors at its Darlington nuclear power plant, and shortly after the new reactor’s foundation was lifted into place. “We got our license to construct in April and our [final investment decision] in May, and we’ve been off to the races since.”
Here is a recap of recent industry happenings:
