The Department of Energy is bringing the HB Line facility at the Savannah River Site back on line to recycle surplus plutonium and produce uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for advanced reactors.

Restarting the facility will be a multiyear process and will yield opportunities for increased domestic production of isotopes with scientific and commercial value. The DOE said that once operational, the HB Line will accelerate the Office of Environmental Management’s plutonium disposition mission by 10 to 13 years while reducing the existing cost.

The American Bureau of Shipping has joined a joint development project with the HD Hyundai divisions of Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HD HSHI) to advance the conceptual design and assess the technical feasibility of a nuclear-powered electric propulsion system for large container ships.

The project, “Conceptual Design of a Nuclear-Powered Electric Propulsion System,” will focus on developing the basic design, electrical component specifications, and arrangement plans of a nuclear propulsion system for a 16,000-TEU ship (that is, a massive vessel designed to carry 16,000 20-foot-equivalent units). It would be the first nuclear-powered commercial container vessel.

Where do Japan and its nuclear energy ambitions stand 15 years after the devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake of March 11, 2011, a destructive tsunami, and an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant ground them to a halt?

A look at developments within the last year involving Japan’s political leadership, international relations, its fleet of nuclear plants, and the ongoing cleanup and decommissioning at Fukushima shows an island country pushing nuclear to the forefront of its energy plans.

Argonne National Laboratory, located in Lemont, Ill., outside of Chicago, continues to develop a U.S. Department of Energy Packaging University Summer Institute by leveraging the laboratory’s educational resources and workforce development opportunities that support STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The institute will be open to both professionals in the nuclear packaging field and highly qualified graduate university students who are recommended by their advisors.

Even a last-minute cancelation from Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright could not derail the optimism permeating day 1 of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC).

The optimistic theme came up several times during the morning plenary sessions that highlighted Tuesday’s agenda. The NRC commissioners who spoke said the optimism was a result of the “nuclear renaissance” they are encountering that feels different from past nuclear-related revivals that didn’t materialize.

Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright joined U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) at the site of the closed Indian Point nuclear power plant on Friday, March 6, as Lawler called for the reopening of the facility. He emphasized that the shutdown of the plant in 2021 has led to higher electricity costs for the people of New York state and increased strain on the state’s electric grid.

The Wilmington Area Local Section of the American Nuclear Society has officially been selected as the national host for Nuclear Science Week 2026. During the week of October 19–23, educators, students, civic leaders, employers, and members of the Wilmington, N.C., community will gather to learn more about the nuclear world.

Allison Macfarlane

Lake Barrett

In these challenging times of ever-increasing political polarization and strong differing personal opinions, there is hope that diverse points of view can converge to create solutions for difficult problems if we remain focused on the common good.

For us, the common interest is a solution for the broken U.S. program to dispose of the growing inventory of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from commercial nuclear energy. We strongly believe this is critical to support and enable our projected continuation and expansion of safe, reliable, clean, affordable nuclear power to support the needs of our rapidly evolving national and global societies.

A newly announced potential joint venture between reactor and fuel-recycling developer Oklo and uranium enricher Centrus Energy could be coming to Ohio. The two companies have agreed to pursue discussions on jointly establishing deconversion services for high-assay low-enriched uranium and other fuel-cycle technologies at Centrus’s uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio, which is adjacent to Oklo's proposed 1.2-GW power campus. That campus, which has been targeted to be on line by 2030, will use Oklo’s Aurora Powerhouse microreactor to support data centers for Meta.

The Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (KNEDA) recently distributed its first awards through the new Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program, which was established last year. In total, KNEDA disbursed $10 million to a variety of companies that will use the funding to support siting studies, enrichment supply-chain planning, workforce training, and curriculum development.

Anna Bradford has been named the new head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. NRC Chair Ho Nieh called Bradford “a superb candidate to lead the team that oversees the safety of our nuclear reactor operating fleet. We are eager to have someone of her experience both here and abroad back at the NRC.” Her appointment will become effective in May.

The Department of Energy is set to expand on its Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program by introducing the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, a DOE-led program to integrate the authorization, testing, and operation of reactors and fuel facilities from private nuclear developers. Furthermore, it will include two pathways—Launch Pad INL and Launch Pad USA—with options to access Idaho National Laboratory land or other sites around the nation.

The DOE plans to transition future pilot program applicants to the new Launch Pad model. Application requirements and review criteria will mirror those used in the reactor and fuel line pilot programs, and projects already in those programs will transition to Launch Pad with no need to reapply.

While changes the Department of Energy made to its standard contract for accepting spent nuclear fuel may help reduce federal liabilities, they provide “little to no assurance” that the government will ever follow through on its promise to take possession of the fuel, according to commentary from Matt Bowen and Rama T. Ponangi of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA.

The United States has a strong marketplace of ideas on future civil nuclear technology. President Trump wants to see 10 large reactors under construction by 2030 and has discussed making $80 billion available for that objective. Evolutionary small modular reactors based on light water reactor technology are on the market now, and the Tennessee Valley Authority expects a construction permit for a project at its Clinch River Site later this year.

On March 3, the Department of Energy announced the release of $52.8 million in funds through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program, ending a wait for applicants seeking fiscal year 2025 funds.

NEUP supports U.S. colleges and universities with funding for nuclear technology development, early-career faculty research activities, undergraduate scholarships, and graduate fellowships.

Prompted by the ADVANCE Act and Executive Order (EO) 14300, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” the NRC has recently made a number of changes aimed at increasing licensing efficiency.

Today, the agency is implementing another change to the same effect, rolling out a revision of its Differing Views Program (DVP). This revision aims to significantly reduce the time each differing view requires without compromising the NRC’s commitment to safety.

The governments of Canada and India agreed to multiple long-term deals this month, extending a partnership that will impact sectors including energy and critical minerals, technology and AI, talent and culture, and defense.

One of the more significant deals is a long-term agreement that would supply nearly 22 million pounds of Canadian uranium concentrate (U₃O₈) to India’s burgeoning nuclear reactor fleet over the next decade.

Over the past two weeks, Argonne National Laboratory has announced numerous significant advancements being made by its staff to push forward nuclear fuels and materials research. Those announcements include the opening of the new Activated Materials Lab, the development of a new measurement technique, and the application of new artificial intelligence tools.

The American Nuclear Society and United Cleanup Oak Ridge have signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes a framework for collaboration to advance ANS workforce training and certification programs serving the nuclear industry.

According to the document, UCOR will provide “operational insights and subject matter expertise to inform ANS’s professional development and credentialing offerings, including the Certified Nuclear Professional [CNP] program.” The collaboration will strengthen UCOR’s workforce development efforts while advancing ANS’s mission to sustain and expand the national nuclear workforce pipeline and capabilities.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management faces significant cost increases, schedule delays, and data management issues in completing nuclear waste cleanup projects, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.