ECA Update 03/20: LAWMAKERS RETURN AND BUDGET TALKS RAMP UP; and more

Published: Mon, 03/24/25

Updated: Tue, 03/25/25

CONGRESS RETURNS FROM RECESS AND ARE FACED WITH BUDGET TALKS

Congress returns today from a week long recess following the passing of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025.

As lawmakers return in Washington, they are met with a three-week window to put forth a plan for the spending bill. Speaker Mike Johnson has set an ambitious goal of finalizing a budget blueprint with the Senate and getting it passed in the House by April 7. In a joint statement by Johnson and other top House GOP leaders, they call on the Senate to take up the House budget resolution, "The American people gave us a mandate and we must act on it" they noted that the House "took the first step to accomplish that by passing a budget resolution weeks ago, and we look forward to the Senate joining us in this commitment to ensure we enact President Trump's full agenda as quickly as possible."

The two chambers of Congress remain at odds on what to include in the budget package, with Senate Republicans working on how to tweak the proposed House framework before sending it back.

ECA will continue to follow and report on the status of the budget resolution.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND ECA'S NEW NUCLEAR FORUM?

If you're a nuclear developer, an elected official or a community leader where nuclear energy is part of the discussion, this event is where the future takes shape. Here’s what’s in store at the fourth annual meeting hosted by the Energy Communities Alliance:

✅ Communities are Open for Business. Learn from frontline leaders about the efforts to support, demonstrate and deploy new nuclear projects.

✅ Nuclear’s has a Role in Unleashing American Energy dominance. Hear from municipal leaders on how nuclear fits into their economic development plants.

✅ Advanced Nuclear creates New Opportunities. Get smart on the new technologies coming to market directly from the innovators, developers and end users of new nuclear reactors.

🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eucWN7Ha

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN - ECA WEBINAR:

OPEN FOR BUSINESS - NEW NUCLEAR OPPORTUNITIES

Join Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) for an engaging discussion; "Open for Business - New Nuclear Opportunities" on Wednesday, April 2, from 2:00pm ET to 3:30pm ET. This webinar will set the groundwork for discussions that ECA will continue at the fourth annual ECA Forum: Moving New Nuclear Projects Forward.

Local leaders, Department of Energy officials, and nuclear energy industry experts will share their perspectives on the state of new nuclear projects, the latest on nuclear from the Administration and how energy communities work with developers and innovators on projects along all stages of the fuel cycle.

This webinar will cover topics pertinent to new nuclear development at the state and local level, such as:

Current, Planned, and Operating New Nuclear Projects
Timelines for Technology Deployment
The Latest from the Administration on Nuclear
Opportunities to Attract and Host New Nuclear Projects
Benefits of Locating Nuclear Projects in Communities with Nuclear Experience and Existing Energy Infrastructure
…and more!

NEW ECA REPORT - FROM THE ATOMIC AGE TO NEW NUCLEAR: ENERGY COMMUNITIES READY TO HELP UNLEASH NUCLEAR POWER

Communities across the country that were once home to government nuclear sites and/or former commercial energy plants are ready to help the United States today unleash the next wave of nuclear technologies, according to a new white paper from the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA). In its paper, “From the Atomic Age to New Nuclear,” ECA outlines a host of projects either underway or currently planned at sites across the county to support new nuclear development across the fuel cycle.

READ THE REPORT HERE

WHAT YOU'VE MISSED:

World Bank May Drop Ban on Funding Nuclear Power, President Says

The head of the World Bank said he asked the lender's board to reverse its long-standing policy against funding nuclear power projects, saying the technology offers a green option for poor countries.

Read the full story

Oklo Advances Siting, On Track for Aurora Nuclear Fast Reactor Deployment at INL in 2027

Advanced nuclear firm Oklo has signed an Interface Agreement (IAG) with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), marking a key regulatory milestone in the siting and environmental review of its first commercial Aurora powerhouse-a compact passive fast-spectrum reactor- targeted for deployment at INL by late 2027.

Read the full story

Great Lakes region readies for its role in a nuclear energy revival

A glimpse into the future of nuclear energy is unfolding on the southeastern shoes of Lake Michigan.

The first-ever attempt to revive a U.S. nuclear plant is a result of the rapid renewed interest in the energy source, driven by its ability to combat climate change and meet growing electricity demand. Smaller reactors are also being planned for the Covert, Michigan, site, an evolution that supporters say is dispatchable and potentially less costly.

Read the full story

NEW MEDIA:

NucleCast - Robert Kittinger, Ph.D. - Tritium, Reactors and Nuclear Deterrence

Mar. 18, 2025 | S02 E210

In this episode of NUCLECAST, host Adam Lowther engages with Dr. Robert Kittinger to discuss various aspects of nuclear policy, including the importance of tritium production, the role of small modular reactors in military applications, and the interconnectedness of nuclear energy and weapons. They explore the implications of denuclearization and the need for a dedicated supply chain for nuclear components, while also addressing the historical context of nuclear deterrence and its significance in maintaining global peace.

https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/