The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering Orano Enrichment USA’s application for a license to build a centrifuge enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn. A notice published in the Federal Register on August 12 includes a commission order and an announcement of the opportunity to request a contested hearing.

The publication of the FR notice marked the start of a 60-day period in which a member of the public can file a request for a hearing. If contentions are adjudicated, the NRC intends to not hold a second, uncontested hearing before issuing a license on the $5 billion Project Ike Enrichment Facility, where Orano plans to reenrich depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) tails and enrich natural-grade UF₆ to a maximum of 8-weight percent uranium-235.

Burlison

Rep. Eric Burlison (R., Mo.), the chairman of the U.S. House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, has announced a hearing on “The New Atomic Age: Advancing America’s Energy Future.”

The hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 22, at 1:00 pm (ET). Witnesses include Alex Epstein, president and founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, and Joshua Smith, energy policy lead at the Abundance Institute.

Details: According to the chairman’s office, the hearing will explore recent developments in nuclear energy technology, the commercial viability of advanced reactors, supply chain challenges, and policy pathways for Congress to strengthen nuclear power in the United States.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has announced a notice of opportunity to intervene in an adjudicatory hearing on Oklo Power’s combined license application (COLA) for construction of a microreactor at Idaho National Laboratory. The notice, dated June 24, was published in the Federal Register on June 30, opening a 60-day window for petitions.