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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2026
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Getting back to yes: A local perspective on decommissioning, restart, and responsibility
For 45 years, Duane Arnold Energy Center operated in Linn County, Ia., near the town of Palo and just northwest of Cedar Rapids. The facility, owned by NextEra Energy, was the only nuclear power plant in the state.
In August 2020, a historic derecho swept across eastern Iowa with winds approaching 140 miles per hour. Damage to the plant’s cooling towers accelerated a shutdown that had already been planned, and the facility entered decommissioning soon after, with its fuel removed in October of that year. Iowa’s only nuclear plant had gone off line.
Today the national energy landscape looks very different than it did just six short years ago. Electricity demand is rising rapidly as data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and electrification expand across the country. Reliable, carbon-free baseload power has become increasingly valuable. In that context, Linn County has approved the rezoning necessary to support the recommissioning and restart of Duane Arnold and is actively supporting NextEra’s efforts to secure the remaining state and federal approvals.
Uncharted Waters: Expanding Nuclear Outreach and Workforce Recruiting
May 29, 2025|3:30–5:00PM (4:30–6:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
Are your recruitment and outreach efforts reaching communities that have been historically excluded from nuclear science education and from participating in the nuclear industry? Do you find yourself doing the same few events for the same audiences every single year, such as presenting about nuclear science at your child’s school or posting job openings on LinkedIn? Have you tried to organize events with new communities, but received minimal engagement in response?
Part 2 of this webinar series will help you create relevant, engaging, and culturally sensitive sessions that resonate with the community. This training will help broaden your mindset for an outreach or recruitment event. You will learn to think more critically about tailoring your engagements to various physical settings and audience perspectives. Part 2 will also share best practices for respecting a community’s cultural norms and schedules.
