Nuclear News on the Newswire

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

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.”

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Moving past Sayre’s Law on low-dose radiation

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.

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Vistra’s Perry nuclear plant approved for license renewal

Texas-based Vistra Corporation has announced that its license renewal application for the Perry nuclear power plant was approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The plant first connected to the grid in 1986 and is still operating under its original 40-year license, which was set to expire next year.

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Texas bill advances nuclear projects

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.

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From the Pages of Nuclear News: Industry update July 2025

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.

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More good news for TerraPower on Kemmerer construction permit

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.

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Hash Hashemian: Visionary leadership

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.

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Westinghouse awarded $180M ITER contract

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.

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GLE completes Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility license application

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.

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