Texas bill advances nuclear projects

July 8, 2025, 12:01PMNuclear News

A recent appropriation from the Texas legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott directs funding to Texas Tech University to accelerate “produced water” research in partnership with Abilene Christian University and Natura Resources and to complete the construction of a molten salt research reactor at ACU.

Drones detect natural gamma radiation to measure agricultural soil health

July 8, 2025, 9:30AMNuclear News
A drone-borne GRS system assesses soil properties in an agricultural field. (Photo: M. Casling/IAEA)

The International Atomic Energy Agency has initiated a coordinated research project that will combine an “innovative, non-invasive, and scalable nuclear technique”—gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS)—with drones and satellite imagery to gather and analyze data that can reveal the quality of soil on agricultural lands around the world.

From the Pages of Nuclear News: Industry update July 2025

July 8, 2025, 7:00AMNuclear News

Here is a recap of industry happenings from the recent past:

ADVANCED REACTOR MARKETPLACE

Utah moves to forefront of advanced nuclear development

EnergySolutions has signed a memorandum of understanding to partner with Utah’s Intermountain Power Agency and the Utah state government to explore the development of advanced nuclear power generation at the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) site near Delta. The MOU calls for the leveraging of existing infrastructure at the IPP site; potential development of small modular reactor nuclear baseload power; potential synergy with the existing Intermountain Power Agency energy hub and advanced grid stabilization technologies; collaboration with local, state, and regional stakeholders; and commitment to rural economic development and job creation in the state. The partnership is aligned with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt, an initiative to double Utah’s energy production over the next 10 years.

Wall Street Journal: Challenges facing nuclear industry

July 7, 2025, 9:30AMANS Nuclear Cafe

The Wall Street Journal recently reviewed the status of nuclear energy in the United States, with a focus on how the U.S. nuclear industry can meet President Donald Trump’s executive orders (EOs) calling for nuclear power generation to quadruple within the next 25 years.

More good news for TerraPower on Kemmerer construction permit

July 7, 2025, 7:01AMNuclear News
Concept art of TerraPower’s Natrium plan. (Image: TerraPower)

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has whittled down the timeline for reviewing TerraPower’s construction permit application for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 in Wyoming. Announcing a new, more aggressive schedule, the NRC said it aims to complete its review by the end of 2025, eight months earlier than originally planned.

Hash Hashemian: Visionary leadership

July 3, 2025, 3:04PMNuclear NewsLucas Geiger

As Dr. Hashem M. “Hash” Hashemian prepares to step into his term as President of the American Nuclear Society, he is clear that he wants to make the most of this unique moment.

A groundswell in public approval of nuclear is finding a home in growing governmental support that is backed by a tailwind of technological innovation. “Now is a good time to be in nuclear,” Hashemian said, as he explained the criticality of this moment and what he hoped to accomplish as president.

Sign up for the Certified Nuclear Professional exam

July 3, 2025, 12:00PMANS News

Applications are now open for the summer 2025 testing period for the American Nuclear Society’s Certified Nuclear Professional (CNP) exam. Applications are being accepted through July 25, and only three testing sessions are offered per year, so it is important to apply soon.

The test will be administered from August 12 through September 9. To check eligibility and schedule your exam, click here.

Westinghouse awarded $180M ITER contract

July 3, 2025, 9:30AMNuclear News
The ITER tokamak pit with the two vacuum vessel sector modules installed. (Photo: ITER)

Westinghouse Electric Company announced that it has signed a $180 million contract with the ITER Organization for the assembly of the vacuum vessel for the fusion reactor being built in southern France. Designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power, the ITER tokamak will be the world’s largest experimental fusion facility.

GLE completes Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility license application

July 3, 2025, 7:14AMNuclear News
From left: GLE’s Stephen Long, Scott Steuer, Jesus Diaz-Quiroz, Nima Ashkeboussi, and Timothy Knowles, with the NRC’s Matt Bartlett, Samantha Lav, Robert Sun, Shana Helton, Andrea Kock, and Kimyata Morgan-Butler. (Photo: GLE)

Global Laser Enrichment announced that it has submitted its safety analysis report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the planned Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF). This follows GLE’s December 2024 submission of the plant’s environmental report, now completing GLE’s full license application for NRC review.

NRC approves V.C. Summer’s second license renewal

July 2, 2025, 3:00PMNuclear News
Unit 1 of the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant. (Photo: DJ Slaw)

Dominion Energy’s V.C. Summer nuclear power plant, in Jenkinsville, S.C., has been authorized to operate for 80 years, until August 2062, following the renewal of its operating license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a second time.

Argonne to work with Shine on cost-effective recycling technology

July 2, 2025, 1:12PMRadwaste Solutions
Argonne’s Peter Tkac (left) and David Bettinardi analyze results from lab experiments designed to isolate desirable products from spent nuclear fuel. (Photo: ANL)

The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory will collaborate with Wisconsin-based fusion technology company Shine to design new chemical processes for separating valuable materials from used nuclear fuel.

Health physicists respond to EO

July 2, 2025, 9:31AMANS Nuclear Cafe

Dewji

Bahadori

Caffrey

Three authorities on health physics have written a response to President Trump’s Executive Order 14300, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

Published June 27 on Substack, “Radiation Protection Policy in a Nuclear Era: Recommendations from Health Physicists in Response to EO 14300” was written by Emily A. Caffrey, assistant professor and director of the Health Physics Program at the University of Alabama–Birmingham; Amir A. Bahadori, associate professor at Kansas State University; and Shaheen A. Dewji, assistant professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Google announces power purchase agreement with Commonwealth Fusion

July 2, 2025, 8:46AMNuclear News
A visualization of the SPARC tokamak experiment. (Image: Ken Filar/PSFC Research Affiliate)

In its June 30 announcement of a new deal to purchase 200 MW from Commonwealth Fusion Systems' (CFS) first ARC fusion power plant planned for Virginia, Google called it “the largest direct corporate offtake agreement for fusion energy” ever. While Google made no mention of its plans for the power, its press release noted that clean energy is needed to reduce data center emissions.

DOE issues new NEPA rule and procedures—and accelerates DOME reactor testing

July 1, 2025, 3:04PMNuclear News
A representation of the NRIC DOME microreactor test bed. (Image: NRIC)

Meeting a deadline set in President Trump’s May 23 executive order “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy,” the DOE on June 30 updated information on its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rulemaking and published an interim final rule rescinding existing regulations alongside new implementing procedures.

Recent surveys confirm high levels of U.S. nuclear support

July 1, 2025, 11:57AMANS Nuclear Cafe
Bisconti survey findings from 1983 to 2025 to the question, “Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?” (Source: Bisconti Research Inc.)

Surveys have consistently indicated that public support in the United States for the use of nuclear energy has been increasing in recent years. Four recent surveys continue to suggest that near-record-high numbers of Americans support nuclear energy. However, the survey results differ—sometimes widely—in the details of their findings.

Applications open for the fall cohort of Mentor Match

July 1, 2025, 9:26AMANS News
From left, Igor Bolotnov, Amir Bahadori, Gale Hauck, and Christopher Perfetti at the Mentorship Matters panel during the ANS 2025 Annual Conference. (Photo: ANS)

Applications are officially open for the second cohort of the American Nuclear Society’s newly redesigned mentoring program. Mentor Match is a unique opportunity available only to ANS members that offers year-round mentorship and networking opportunities to Society members at any point in their education.

The deadline to apply for membership in the fall cohort, which will take place October 1–November 30, is September 17. The application form can be found here.

Experimenters get access to NSUF facilities for irradiation effects studies

July 1, 2025, 7:04AMNuclear News

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy announced the recipients of “first call” 2025 Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) awards on June 26. The 23 proposals selected from industry, national laboratories, and universities will receive a total of about $1.4 million. While each project is led by a different principal investigator, some call the same organization home. A total of 17 companies, labs, and universities are represented.

World Bank, IAEA partner to fund nuclear energy

June 30, 2025, 3:06PMNuclear News

The World Bank and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed an agreement last week to cooperate on the construction and financing of advanced nuclear projects in developing countries, marking the first partnership since the bank ended its ban on funding for nuclear energy projects.