REGISTER NOW - ECA NEW NUCLEAR FORUM: MOVING NEW NUCLEAR PROJECTS
Registration is LIVE for Energy Communities Alliance’s New Nuclear Forum: Moving New Nuclear Projects Forward, April 23-24, 2025, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. *Register before February 15 for an Early Bird Discounted Rate!
ECA is excited to host the only meeting
that brings together officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Nuclear Technology Developers, NRC, National Labs, federal, state, local and tribal governments to identify shared opportunities and challenges and build partnerships necessary to support new nuclear development. Communities from across the country are considering nuclear projects for many reasons - from diversifying regional economies, increasing energy reliability and security, to creating
energy jobs and rebuilding the U.S. supply chain. Some communities have a legacy of commitment to nuclear energy projects, while others are just beginning to tap the growing potential of nuclear power.
MEETING GOALS
This meeting is part of ECA's New Nuclear Initiative to define the role of local governments in supporting the development of the new nuclear
technologies.
Shared Learning: The ECA Forum is designed to enable shared learning so that local, State and Tribal governments considering nuclear projects can be meaningfully engaged, educated, and prepared to match the strengths and needs of their communities
with new nuclear opportunities.
Foster New Connections: The ECA Forum brings together all necessary minds interested in building capacity and support for new nuclear development in the U.S. The Forum is highly attended by ECA member communities, local, State and Tribal governments, Chambers of Commerce, local, state and regional economic development organizations, industry, utilities, developers, financiers, union representatives and academic
experts.
Community-Driven Approach: The ECA Forum is focused around answering the following core questions: - What do communities need to know to attract and support new nuclear development/missions?
- How can communities support industry, national laboratories, state, and federal governments and how should they communicate about local resources and development opportunities?
- What hurdles and challenges will communities face - along with
industry and developers - and who can we work with to overcome them?
AGENDA
With support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory, ECA is developing a program that continues to look holistically at the what a nuclear project entails: from the front-end of the fuel-cycle to the back-end of the fuel cycle, from building local
support, to state support and enabling legislation, from identifying the right public-private partnerships, to understanding regulatory oversight. Discussions in Idaho will cover a variety of topics critical to New Nuclear Development, including:
- Insight from DOE Leadership on Priorities of the New Administration
- Understanding Local, Tribal, State and Regional Economic Development Planning
- Growing the Nuclear Marketplace: New Players and
Applications
- Building Partnerships for Risk Reduction
- Taking a Regional Approach: Nuclear Planning in the Intermountain West
ITINERARY
Tuesday, April 22
5:00pm Welcome Reception
Wednesday, April 23
8:30am - 4:30pm ECA Forum
Thursday, April 24
8:30am - 2:30pm ECA Forum OPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES *no additional
cost
Tuesday, April 22
2:00pm - 5:00pm Nuclear 101/201 and “Ask an Expert”
*Who should attend: Participants new to nuclear energy or interested in learning more about one specific issue, such as recycling, nuclear fuels, or interim storage.
Friday, April 25
Tour of Idaho National Laboratory
*Additional registration required; openings are limited. INTERESTED IN BEING A SPONSOR?
Click here to learn more: SPONSORSHIPS. Please contact Autumn Bogus, ECA Forum Staff, at abogus@la-inc.com with questions.
PRESIDENT-ELECT SELECTS JAMES DANLY AS DOE DEPUTY SECRETARY NOMINEE
President-elect Donald Trump selected James Danly as his nominee to be Deputy Secretary for the Department of Energy (DOE) this past weekend. Danly served served as a commissioner and chairman at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) during the first Trump Administration. The President-elect lauded Danly for his “regulatory reform to ensure abundant and affordable
energy for the American People” while at the FERC. The Secretary nominee for DOE - Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright - is scheduled to have his confirmation hearing later this week on Wednesday, January 15th. Wright also serves on the board of Oklo, a nuclear power startup backed by that is developing micro reactors. Katherine MacGregor and David
Fotouhi were also selected for deputy roles, for the Department of the Interior (DOI) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), respectively. Likewise, Doug Burgum and Lee Zeldin, the nominees to lead the DOI and EPA, will also have confirmation hearings held later this week. ECA will continue to provide developments on the selection of DOE's leadership as they develop.
ENSURING LONG TERM SUCCESS: ECA TRANSITION PAPER FOR EM
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) must continuously examine its work and evolve. The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is calling on the next Administration to launch a comprehensive review of all aspects of the EM program. To meet the challenges and better ensure the continued success of the DOE-EM program, the ECA’s Transition paper
offers the following recommendations: - Establishment of disposal paths for every type of radioactive and hazardous waste, including ensuring that both private and public sites are available and utilized.
- The reevaluation of DOE-EM’s use of the end-state contracting model so that more funds are available for actual work.
- Ensuring that regulatory agreements are reasonably achievable and balance short- and long-term needs.
- Improvement of workforce planning to
address “brain drain” and long-term needs for skilled talent of all kinds.
- Continuing focus on economic and energy development benefits.
- The maintaining of robust local, state, tribal government, and stakeholder engagement at each site.
- Clarification on DOE policy regarding how the discovery of hazardous and radioactive materials at “completed sites” will be addressed to ensure that cleanup is protective of human health and the environment, and that the local community is
not responsible for the DOE’s legacy waste cleanup.
- The reconstituting of a dedicated nuclear waste organization within the DOE to address high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel issues.
Read the paper by clicking its cover above or the button below!
Gone Fission Nuclear Report - New ORANO Plant Boosts Nuclear Growth December 09, 2024 | S4 E20 It’s being called the largest investment in the history of the State of Tennessee. Orano USA has announced plans to build a new multi-billion dollar, state-of-the-art centrifuge uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge. The facility will provide fuel for America’s nuclear power plants and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources. In this
week’s episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, host Michael Butler discusses this exciting project with Orano USA President Jean-Luc Palayer. www.gonefissionpodcast.com NucleCast - Jill Hruby: NNSA's Journey: Achievements & Future Challenges January 7, 2025 | S02 E200 In this special 200th episode of NucleCast, Jill Hruby, the Administrator of NNSA and Undersecretary of the Department of Energy for Nuclear Security, discusses the achievements and challenges faced by NNSA during her tenure, including the modernization of nuclear weapons, strengthening international partnerships, and
the importance of infrastructure projects. Jill shares insights on the Strategic Posture Commission's recommendations, the plans for pit production, and the significance of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). She emphasizes the need for a renewed focus on nuclear IQ and offers advice for future leadership in the nuclear enterprise. https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/1828710/
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