ECA Update 04/07: SENATE TO CONSIDER DOE NOMINATIONS, DOE IDENTIFIES THOUSANDS OF POSITIONS AT RISK OF CUTS; and more

Published: Mon, 04/07/25

Updated: Mon, 04/07/25

SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER DOE UNDERSECRETARY & UNDERSECRETARY OF ENERGY FOR SCIENCE NOMINATIONS APRIL 10

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will be holding a hearing on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 10:00 am in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. to consider the nominations of:

Mr. Preston Wells Griffith III to be Under Secretary of Energy;
Dr. Dario Gil to be Under Secretary of Energy for Science; and
Ms. Kathleen M. Sgamma to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior

The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be made available after the hearing concludes.

DOE IDENTIFIES POSITIONS AT RISK OF DOGE CUTS

The Associated Press | April 4

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Energy Department has identified thousands of federal workers it deems “nonessential” and would not be protected if there is another round of large-scale firings, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.

The jobs at risk include more than 8,500 positions across the Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration — which upgrades and maintains the nation’s nuclear warheads. The department identified them as eligible to be cut to meet the goals of President Donald Trump’s executive order for mass reductions in federal employees.

It was not clear if every position identified as nonessential would be eliminated. All federal agencies had until March 13 to identify what departments and positions could be consolidated in a planning process to streamline the agencies and ready them for potential “large scale reductions in force,” Trump’s Feb. 26 order directed.

Read the full original article from The Associated Press here.

REGISTER NOW - MOVING NEW NCULEAR PROJECTS FORWARD FORUM IS ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY!

ECA's fourth annual New Nuclear Forum: Moving New Nuclear Projects Forward is only two weeks away! Held from April 22-24 in Idaho Falls, ID with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory, ECA's New Nuclear Forum is the premier gathering for nuclear developers and local leaders evaluating opportunities for new nuclear programs.

The agenda is packed with critical discussions and presentations from key leaders, including:

The Honorable U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson, State of Idaho
Chair David Wright, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Dr. Michael Goff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy | U.S. Department of Energy
Secretary Suzanne Jaworowski, Energy and Natural Resources, State of Indiana
Commissioner Edward Lodge, Idaho Public Utilities Commission

This is your chance to gain exclusive knowledge from industry leaders. 🔗 Don't miss out - secure your seat now!

A very special thanks to our sponsors for supporting the ECA Forum and contributing to this must-attend event! We greatly appreciate your continued commitment to engage with local governments and promote new nuclear development and innovation.

To learn more about our sponsors and Forum sponsorship opportunities, visit our website!

RECORDING AVAILABLE - OPEN FOR BUSINESS: NEW NUCLEAR OPPORTUNITIES

As a prelude to discussions at the New Nuclear Forum Forum, ECA hosted a webinar "Open for Business: New Nuclear Opportunities", which you can now view a recording of! Dr. Goff, the Acting Director, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy kicked off the discussion and was joined by:

John Kotek - Senior Vice President, Policy & Public Affairs, Nuclear Energy Institute
Cat Clifford - Senior Science & Economics Correspondent, Cipher News
Chuck Hope - City Councilor, City of Oak Ridge, TN
Diahann Howard - Executive Director, Port of Benton, WA

Moderator:

Laura Hermann, Deputy Executive Director, Energy Communities Alliance

Speakers provided updates on the latest in nuclear energy development and how many communities and states are attracting the businesses that will develop the nuclear future. You can watch the recording here - and look out for a written summary of the webinar later this week!

For the latest on new nuclear developments read our latest report that focuses on the communities across the country that were once home to government nuclear sites and/or former commercial energy plants are ready to unleash the next wave of nuclear technologies. In “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 PAPER HERE

September 23 - 25, 2025 | Crystal Gateway Marriott | Arlington, VA

Hosted by ECA with the cooperation of the Energy Facility Contractors Group and DOE-EM, the workshop brings together more than 800 senior DOE executives, officials from DOE sites, industry leaders, local elected officials, contractors and community stakeholders to discuss EM’s progress to address the environmental legacy of the Manhattan Project and Cold War-era U.S. nuclear weapons program.

Hear from senior DOE leaders, local government officials, and industry leaders about DOE's cleanup priorities, the future of the workforce, and more.

MORE INFORMATION TO COME!

The National Cleanup Workshop is hosted by the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) with the cooperation of the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM)*.

WHAT YOU'VE MISSED:

Energy Department considers more than 40 percent of its staff nonessential as layoffs loom

The Energy Department (DOE) considers more than 40 percent of its staffers to be nonessential — meaning these people could be on the chopping block — as mass layoffs loom at the agency and across the federal government. A document viewed by The Hill on Friday states that out of the agency’s current headcount of 15,994 positions — 9,004 are essential, meaning some 7,000 other positions are not.

Read the full story

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright talks about tariffs, nuclear energy, future of National Renewable Energy Laboratory

This week U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright came to Colorado -- where he grew up -- to announce a first-of-its-kind initiative. Wright is opening up certain federal land -- including the National Renewable Energy Lab's campus -- to private development of data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Read the full story

DOE offers 16 locations for possible data center, energy infrastructure development

The federal government is seeking input on data center “power needs, timelines, and approaches to co-locating energy sources with data centers or sources for surplus interconnection capacity.”

Read the full story

NEW MEDIA:

NucleCast - The Honorable William Ostendorff - The Future of Warhead Modernization and Strategic Deterrence

Mar. 25, 2025 | S02 E212

In this Future Series episode, Kris Osborn and Captain William Ostendorff discuss the critical aspects of nuclear deterrence, focusing on warhead modernization, technological advancements, and the importance of reliability in nuclear weapons. Captain Ostendorff shares insights from his extensive experience in the Navy and his roles in various nuclear security programs, emphasizing the complexities of today's geopolitical landscape and the need for a robust nuclear strategy. The discussion also highlights the role of digital engineering and advanced computing in enhancing weapon performance and reliability, as well as the integration of non-nuclear components in nuclear systems.

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