Latest News Archives

Regulatory Update: NRC Issues Construction Permit for Molten Salt Research Raactor at Abilene Christian University

September 16, 2024 – The NRC has issued a Construction Permit to Abilene Christian University (ACU) to build its Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) facility on the university’s campus in Abilene, Texas. It marks the first research reactor project approved by the NRC in a number of decades. The MSRR, which will not generate electricity, will use molten salt coolant with fuel dissolved in the salt.

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Guest columnist: Utilities relying more on natural gas plants

September 11, 2024 – Many states have turned to GAIN as a resource to guide them through technical and regulatory steps for potential nuclear deployment. In many coal-dependent communities, the loss of a major employer can be devastating. Take Eastern Kentucky’s Appalachian Region.

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GAIN helped Kentucky clear the runway for nuclear energy. Now the coal-dependent state is waiting for the plane to land

August 27, 2024 – Kenya Stump, an executive with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet for over 17 years, has seen the volatility of coal as an energy source: shrinking demand, plant closures, job losses and tougher pollution controls.

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As US Coal Plants Shutter, a Renewed Focus on Nuclear

As the United States continues its rush to shutter the nation’s remaining coal plants, energy analysts are debating what should fill the gap to meet the growing need for electricity. Increasingly, many are pointing to nuclear energy as the solution.

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Why a group of Utah lawmakers visited this nuclear lab

A contingent of Utah lawmakers, university presidents and key policymakers recently flew into Idaho Falls for a daylong visit to learn about the future of energy in a Western grid straining under pressure from growing demand.

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FY-2024 4th Round Proposals Due

Proposals for the FY-2024 4th Round GAIN Nuclear Energy (NE) Vouchers are due by 5:00pm EST on Wednesday, July 31, 2024

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Seal of the United States Department of Energy

DOE-NE RFI/NOI for Nuclear Training and Workforce Development Program

On July 26, 2024, the Office of Nuclear Energy released a Request for Information and Notice of Intent (RFI/NOI) to seek ideas, input, comments, feedback, and recommendations from interested parties for future competitive workforce development programs focused on nuclear safety training for the workforce that supports the continued safe operation of existing nuclear power plants.

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Regulatory Update: NRC Issues Safety Evaluation Supporting the Construction Permit Application for the Kairos Power Hermes 2 Project

July 19, 2024 – The NRC issued a safety evaluation (SE) documenting the completion of its staff’s review of the construction permit application submitted by Kairos Power LLC (Kairos) on July 14, 2023. The application is for the Hermes 2 test reactor facility, which is proposed to be built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will support development of Kairos’s fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology.

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Aalo prepares for US licensing of microreactor

Aalo Atomics has submitted a pre-application regulatory engagement plan (REP) with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Aalo-1 microreactor, detailing the planned pre-licensing application interactions with the regulator.

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Latest electricity cost estimates get new details on nuclear

Every year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) puts out a set of technology-specific cost and performance parameters for electricity generation. Now in its 10th year, the Electricity Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) has nearly 100,000 users from 144 countries, according to NREL.

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