Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls

July 11, 2025, 3:00PMNuclear NewsDennis Chamberland
Ronald E. Evans, the command module pilot for Apollo 17, performed a deep-space extravehicular activity (EVA) to retrieve a film canister during the mission’s return to Earth. At about 160,000 miles from Earth, it was the most distant spacewalk ever conducted in deep space under full-spectrum GCR. (Photo: NASA)

In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.

From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.

EPA administrator Lee Zeldin talks the future of nuclear

July 11, 2025, 12:00PMNuclear News

Zeldin

In a recent interview on New York radio station 77 WABC, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin talked with host John Catsimatidis about the near-term future of the domestic nuclear industry and the role the EPA will play in the sector.

Catsimatidis kicked off the interview by asking if the U.S. will be able to reach total energy independence. Zeldin responded by saying that decreasing energy dependence on other countries, especially adversaries, was a top priority for him and the Trump administration.

NRC may allow ANO to use decommissioning funds for early disposal work

July 11, 2025, 9:30AMRadwaste Solutions
The Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant in Russellville, Ark. (Photo: Entergy)

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering allowing Entergy to use a portion of the decommissioning trust fund (DTF) for the Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant to dispose of several major radioactive components (MRC) that have been taken out of service at the two-unit pressurized water reactor.

ANS joins others in seeking to discuss SNF/HLW impasse

July 10, 2025, 3:02PMRadwaste Solutions

The American Nuclear Society joined seven other organizations to send a letter to Energy Secretary Christopher Wright on July 8, asking to meet with him to discuss “the restoration of a highly functioning program to meet DOE’s legal responsibility to manage and dispose of the nation’s commercial and legacy defense spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW).”

Investors line up for Sizewell C

July 10, 2025, 12:01PMNuclear News
A 3D rendering of Sizewell C (second from left) with the existing Sizewell B toward the top right. (Image: U.K. govt.)

As the U.K. government looks to finalize investment decisions for the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant this summer, France’s state-owned EDF has announced plans to take a 12.5 percent stake in the project and commit up to £1.1 billion ($1.5 billion) in funding.

Supplier contracts awarded for TerraPower’s Natrium project

July 10, 2025, 7:00AMNuclear News
Image: TerraPower

Bellevue, Wash.–based TerraPower has awarded three supplier contracts to U.S. companies to support its Natrium demonstration project, construction of which began in June 2024 in Kemmerer, Wyo. The new contracts represent the fifth round of procurement awards for the Natrium project.

The value of recycled U and Pu brings Standard Nuclear and Shine together

July 9, 2025, 3:00PMNuclear News

Shine Technologies has been developing fusion-adjacent technologies in Janesville, Wis., including nuclear fuel recycling, since its founding in 2005. Standard Nuclear of Oak Ridge, Tenn., was formed just last year but holds a TRISO fuel production technology backed by years of research and development since it acquired Ultra Safe Nuclear’s fuel manufacturing assets after that company’s bankruptcy in October 2024. Now, Shine and Standard Nuclear have announced plans to work together on a “strategic partnership to advance nuclear fuel recycling and U.S. fuel security.”

Moving past Sayre’s Law on low-dose radiation

July 9, 2025, 12:02PMNuclear NewsCraig Piercy

Craig Piercy
cpiercy@ans.org

So, President Trump has just kicked the low-dose radiation hornets’ nest.

Specifically, his recently signed executive order “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission” calls for the NRC to “reconsider reliance” on the linear no-threshold (LNT) theory and the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) standard for radiation protection.

This directive will certainly reignite a vociferous debate within the radiation research community over the continued efficacy of using LNT as the basis for protecting the public and the environment, a community that has been wracked with controversy on this matter for the last few years.

I must admit that whenever the low-dose issue comes up, my first thoughts always go to Sayre’s Law.

NERS publishes report on machine learning and microreactors

July 9, 2025, 9:31AMANS Nuclear Cafe
The compact, transportable Holos-Quad microreactor, developed by HolosGen, is shown housed within a standard 40-foot ISO container. (Image: HolosGen)

The University of Michigan’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS) has published a summary of a study on nuclear microreactors and machine learning (ML) that was conducted by researchers from NERS and Idaho National Laboratory. The full paper, “Nuclear Microreactor Transient and Load-Following Control with Deep Reinforcement Learning,” was featured in the July issue of Energy Conversion and Management: X.

DOE on track to deliver high-burnup SNF to Idaho by 2027

July 8, 2025, 3:00PMRadwaste Solutions
The high-burnup research cask (center) stands with other spent nuclear fuel dry storage casks at the North Anna ISFSI in Virginia. (Photo: Dominion Energy)

The Department of Energy said it anticipated delivering a research cask of high-burnup spent nuclear fuel from Dominion Energy’s North Anna nuclear power plant in Virginia to Idaho National Laboratory by fall 2027. The planned shipment is part of the High Burnup Dry Storage Research Project being conducted by the DOE with the Electric Power Research Institute.

As preparations continue, the DOE said it is working closely with federal agencies as well as tribal and state governments along potential transportation routes to ensure safety, transparency, and readiness every step of the way.

Watch the DOE’s latest video outlining the project here.

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.