TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT TO KNOW THIS WEEK
- Join ECA September 10 for a webinar: Investing in Innovation - Financing Advanced Nuclear
Projects!
- DOE Secretary Wright opens Savannah River National Laboratory’s new Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative in South Carolina
- EPA greenlights expanded waste storage at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
- DOE announces initial selections for new reactor pilot program
- Register now for the National Cleanup Workshop, September 24 - 25!
- Appropriations Watch: ECA expects a continuing resolution (CR) prior to Sept. 30. Check out ECA's budget tracker at the bottom of this newsletter for detailed appropriations numbers
- Google, Kairos Power plan advanced nuclear plant for Tennessee Valley Authority grid by 2030
- Visit ECA on LinkedIn for regular updates!
HOW ARE NUCLEAR PROJECTS FUNDED? LEARN MORE WITH ECA!
Want to learn more about how new nuclear projects are funded? Join Energy Communities Alliance on September 10 at
2:00pm to learn about why financing is crucial to facilitating and moving forward advanced nuclear projects and ensuring their success. Overcoming challenges to financing is critical to accelerating technological advancement, ensuring U.S. leadership in meeting rapidly growing global energy demand, and enhancing American economic competitiveness, geopolitical influence and national security. Financing for these projects can come from various sources, including: - Venture
capital;
- Private Investors;
- Institutions;
- Governments;
- and other parties
Join ECA as we explore the key issues and solutions to today’s financing challenges, and how the financial feasibility of such projects can be improved at both the demonstration and commercialization stages of development.
Speakers to be announced in the coming weeks! Please contact AJ Ridge, ECA Program Director, with any questions at ajr@energyca.org.
To make sure you don't miss anything, be sure to subscribe to the ECA Update below!
ENERGY SECRETARY WRIGHT OPENS SRNL'S NEW ADVANCED MANUFACTURING COLLABORATIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Department of Energy | August 12, 2025 AIKEN, S.C. — Joined by local, state and congressional leaders, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) officials opened the doors to Savannah River National Laboratory’s (SRNL) new Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC) last week during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the campus of the University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken), launching a new chapter for American innovation in South Carolina. The milestone follows through on a vision that began more than seven years ago and represents a new era of collaboration between government,
academia and industry. The 63,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility provides modern laboratory, office and conference facilities designed to foster innovation in advanced manufacturing in areas such as additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence-driven automation, and novel materials for fusion energy, energy resilience and nuclear applications. “The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative will bring the expertise of
the Department of Energy’s national labs together with innovators from academia and the private sector with one shared goal: to unleash America’s energy potential,” Wright said. “This mission was started by President Trump in his first term, and I am proud to be representing the Department of Energy 200 days into his second administration for the grand opening of this facility, completed in record time.” SRNL will operate
the facility, serving as a catalyst to attract new technology and manufacturing to the region, as well as build a pipeline of talent to support the Savannah River Site mission and regional manufacturing growth. The AMC also provides a platform for public-private partnerships, supporting DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) and broader Departmental mission objectives while creating jobs, spurring innovation and maximizing the reach of industry in South Carolina. “The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative is
more than a building — it is a bold step toward redefining how SRNL works with the best of American industry and academia to solve our nation’s most pressing energy and security challenges,” said SRNL Director Johney Green. “We are grateful to everyone across the Department, the University of South Carolina-Aiken, our partners and dedicated laboratory staff for making this vision a reality.” USC Aiken Chancellor Daniel
Heimmermann also provided remarks and emphasized the educational impact of the facility during the ceremony. He thanked the Aiken County Commission for Higher Education for locating AMC on the USC Aiken campus and bringing together academia, industry and the national laboratories across the manufacturing sectors. With the opening of the AMC, SRNL will deliver an economic engine for South Carolina, providing entrepreneurs
and manufacturers a new access point to DOE and SRNL. “I look forward to working with all of you to harness that potential in a community that has played a key role in our security, science and energy missions for so many decades,” EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Roger Jarrell said. “This facility will help produce a pipeline of talent to support the Savannah River Site mission and regional manufacturing for decades
to come.” In conjunction with opening the AMC, Wright visited SRNL, which is ushering in a nuclear and industrial renaissance, leading to new frontiers of scientific discovery and global technological dominance. The visit marked his 11th stop in his goal to visit all 17 of the DOE national laboratories this year. Read the original article here.
EPA AGREES TO EXPAND NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AT WIPP
Axios | August 12, 2025 The EPA has agreed to the Energy Department's request to dig out two new underground areas to store nuclear waste at the only permanent U.S. burial site for radioactive materials. Why it matters:
Critics of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) say the approval represents a significant expansion of the southeastern New Mexico facility, which they say was only intended to dispose of wastes for several decades before closing permanently.
Driving the news:
The Energy Department sought a change in its permit for WIPP because of storage capacity it said was lost in part from a 2014 drum eruption that forced a shutdown of the site for more than two years. - "EPA is in general agreement with DOE's approach and DOE's interpretation" of computer modeling showing the two additional waste areas wouldn't result in excessive radiation releases, Abigale Tardif of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation said in a July 31 letter to DOE.
- At a public hearing last year in Santa Fe, N.M., DOE and Sandia National Laboratories scientists said the potential for releases was modeled over both the short and long term.
- The EPA said Tuesday it submitted a Federal Register notice on the approval, but doesn't yet
have a publication date.
Read the full article by clicking here.
DOE ANNOUNCES INITIAL SELECTIONS FOR NEW REACTOR PILOT PROGRAM
Department of Energy | August 12, 2025 WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today officially kicked off President Trump’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, announcing DOE will initially work with 11 advanced reactor projects to move their technologies towards deployment. DOE will
work with industry on these 11 projects, with the goal to construct, operate, and achieve criticality of at least three test reactors using the DOE authorization process by July 4, 2026. Today’s initial selections represent an important step toward streamlining nuclear reactor testing and unleashes a new pathway toward fast-tracking commercial licensing activities. “President Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program
is a call to action,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly. “These companies aim to all safely achieve criticality by Independence Day, and DOE will do everything we can to support their efforts.” President Trump is committed to re-establishing the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy and securing a reliable, diversified, and affordable energy supply to drive American
prosperity and technological advancement. DOE announced the Reactor Pilot Program in June 2025, following President Trump’s Executive Order 14301,
which reforms reactor testing at the Department. The goal of the Reactor Pilot Program is to expedite the testing of advanced reactor designs that will be authorized by the Department at sites that are located outside of the national laboratories. Seeking DOE authorization provided under the Atomic Energy Act will help today’s selected companies— Aalo Atomics Inc., Antares Nuclear Inc., Atomic Alchemy Inc., Deep Fission Inc., Last Energy Inc., Oklo Inc., Natura Resources LLC, Radiant Industries
Inc., Terrestrial Energy Inc., and Valar Atomics Inc.— unlock private funding and provide a fast-tracked approach to future commercial licensing activities. The diversity of applications received shows the remarkable breath of innovation and ingenuity in American reactor developers. Each company will be responsible for all
costs associated with designing, manufacturing, constructing, operating, and decommissioning their test reactors. DOE looks forward to working with these 11 projects to safely and efficiently accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technology. For more information on the Reactor Pilot Program, click here. Read the original article by clicking here.
JOIN US FOR THE 11TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP
September 24 - 25, 2025 | Crystal Gateway Marriott | Arlington, VA Join us September 24-25 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott - Arlington, VA, where we’ll explore how
the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is working to drive down risks while also building up new opportunities for communities and the nation.
WHO'S SPEAKING?
Roger Jarrell | Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary, DOE-EM
James McConnell | Acting Principal Deputy Administrator, NNSA
Greg Sosson | Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Field Operations, DOE-EM
Kristen Ellis | Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs, DOE-EM
Brent Gerry | Mayor, City of West Richland, WA; Chair, ECA
Rebecca Casper | Mayor, City of Idaho Falls, ID; Vice-Chair, ECA
Jonathan “JD” Dowell | Senior Vice President, Fluor
Heatherly Dukes | President, BWXT Technical
Services Group
DJ Johnson | Vice President, Federal Solutions Business Enterprise, Honeywell Federal Solutions; Chair, EFCOG
Mark Johnson | Principal Vice President, High Level Waste Facility, Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), Bechtel
Jeff Kendall | President, AtkinsRéalis U.S. Nuclear
Michael Lempke | President, Nuclear and Environmental Services,
HII
Mark Whitney | President, Amentum
...and more!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Wednesday, September 24 8:00am National Cleanup
Workshop 5:30pm Evening Reception for all NCW Attendees Thursday, September 25
8:00am National Cleanup Workshop SPONSORSHIP
NCW sponsorships offer an excellent opportunity to showcase your
company, maximize networking opportunities with attendees, and host an exhibit booth during the forum. Click here to learn more! STAY CONNECTED
ECA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-communities-alliance
EFCOG Twitter: @EFCOG_now
DOE EM Twitter: @EMcleanup
#NationalCleanupWorkshop SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS 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: Google, Kairos Power plan advanced nuclear plant for Tennessee Valley Authority grid by 2030 Google and Kairos Power will deploy an advanced nuclear reactor to help power the tech company’s data centers on the Tennessee Valley Authority grid. The Hermes 2 reactor developed by Kairos will dispatch 50 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 36,000 homes. TVA will purchase the electricity from the reactor, making it the first utility in the U.S. to sign an offtake agreement with an advanced nuclear
plant. Read the full story Minnesota Public
Utilities Commission okays Prairie Island nuclear plant's extended operation MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Xcel Energy received
approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to extend the operations of the Prairie Island nuclear plant into the early 2050s. Xcel says this decision marks a significant move towards providing reliable, carbon-free energy for the Upper Midwest. Read the full
story White House names Democrat Rosner to lead FERC The White House on Wednesday named David Rosner, a Democratic member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as agency chairman. “I am honored to serve as chairman and excited to continue working with my colleagues on the commission and FERC’s extraordinary staff to enable
reliable, affordable, and abundant energy for all Americans,” Rosner said in a statement. Read the full story DEADLINE EXTENDED: IAEA Youth Infographic Contest on
Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response Entries for the IAEA infographic design contest for young
professionals aged 18 to 35 to raise awareness about emergency preparedness and response in nuclear and radiological contexts can now be submitted until 31 August 2025. Submissions should be compelling, original infographics inspired by the IAEA’s emergency preparedness and response (EPR) publications. Participating youth are encouraged to turn complex EPR concepts into engaging visuals to enhance public understanding and policy dialogue on EPR. Submissions will
be judged on visual clarity, technical accuracy, originality, relevance to the conference themes, and overall impact. Read the full story
Gone Fission Podcast - Charles Oppenheimer August 4, 2025 | S5
E4 Charles Oppenheimer, the grandson of atomic pioneer Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, is Michael Butler’s guest on this week’s episode of the Gone Fission podcast. Ironically, this episode drops two days before August 6 which will be the 80th anniversary of America's use of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, a pivotal event that launched the end of World War II--and one in which Charles
Oppenheimer's grandfather, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, played a major role. Charles and Michael sat down at the recent Nuclear Opportunities Workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee, for a wide-ranging discussion that covered everything from nuclear plant financing to what it’s like to be an Oppenheimer in today’s world. Was he surprised that “Oppenheimer” was such a blockbuster hit at the box office? Find out in this week’s episode. https://gonefissionpodcast.com/ NucleCast - Michael Casey: Understanding China's Nuclear Command and Control August 12, 2025 | S03 E231 In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Michael Casey, a former DIA analyst, about the modernization of China's
military, particularly its command-and-control systems and nuclear strategy. They discuss the evolution of China's military capabilities, the challenges it faces in integrating new technologies, and the implications of its ambitions for global dominance. The conversation also touches on the potential risks of AI in military applications and the need for greater focus on C4ISR issues in defense analysis. https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/
Investing in innovation - Financing Advanced Nuclear Projects Webinar | September 10 Register Here National Cleanup Workshop 2025 Arlington, VA | September 23 - 25 Learn More Here
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