ECA FORUM: MOVING NEW NUCLEAR PROJECTS FORWARD BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITIES INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT IN IDAHO FALLS
Simpson expressed his appreciation over the amount excitement around the future that nuclear energy can provide, and thanked industry and communities for gathering at the Forum. He stated: “Whether or not you want to be a part of the nuclear future – you are a part of the nuclear future.” Simpson
detailed how growing demands on the future American energy supply will swell to enormous amounts. He made it clear that nuclear energy will be key to economic growth for the nation and growth for communities, in part because of their ability to provide baseload energy for datacenters and meet that growing demand. He highlighted how the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project (ADRP), based in Idaho National Laboratory (INL), fulfills a critical role in assisting the deployment of advanced reactors and micro reactors, and thereby the future of nuclear energy. Regarding appropriations, Simpson voiced his confidence in the House’s ability to pass the Energy and Water, Defense, and Interior Appropriations bills, and professed that he believes that the appropriations process needs to get back to working as intended, and on the intended schedule. Simpson also addressed how communities can begin to get involved with nuclear. He suggested that engaging with ECA and other organizations is great way to learn about opportunities, as is
engaging with a community’s congressional delegation, who are typically supportive and want to empower their constituents. Simpson finished his remarks by emphasizing that the proportion of power generated by nuclear will only go up over time. However, this is an opportunity for America to take a leading role in advancing the global renaissance of nuclear energy, and an opportunity for America to lead in advanced
nuclear technology across the world.
Dr. Micheal Goff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) spoke after Simpson, providing details on what DOE leadership is doing to promote and secure the future of nuclear energy. He began his remarks by thanking Congressman Simpson for leading the congressional fight to promote nuclear technology, and he thanked ECA for organizing the Forum at a critical juncture for nuclear development. He stated:
“Two weeks ago, Gallup released a poll showcasing that support for nuclear energy as an electricity source has risen 6%. These findings reflect what a truly exciting time it is for nuclear energy – that this is a tipping point for what lies ahead.” Just as communities are open for business, Dr. Goff proclaimed the DOE-NE is open for business. Dr. Goff detailed current programs DOE is administering or supporting to
bolster new nuclear development, such as a $900 million solicitation to support the deployment of SMRs that DOE published on March 24 of this year. He also commented on DOE’s efforts to establish a secure domestic supply of high
assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), through a first round of conditional commitments to allocate HALEU to five U.S. nuclear developers to meet their near-term fuel needs. He also noted the role Idaho National Laboratory’s National Reactor Innovation Center plays through its Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) Program. The DOME program supports microreactor development, lessening the environmental footprint and saving costs to developers by reducing risk. Dr. Goff specifically thanked the communities neighboring INL for supporting the retooling of Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBRII) into the DOME program. With testing at the
DOME testbed possible as early as 2026, Westinghouse is looking to test its eVinvi microreactor at the site, and Radiant plans to test its Kaleidos Battery design. Dr. Goff also addressed the historic restarts of nuclear power plants across the country, most notably the Palisades Plant in Michigan by HOLTEC, which DOE provided a second loan disbursement to in the amount of $57 million. Palisades will be the first of many restarts and could look to create 600 American jobs and generate 800 MWe for the grid.
Kristen Ellis, EM-4, provided an update from DOE-Environmental Management (DOE-EM). Ellis highlighted that there is substantial local, national, and global interest in advancing the resurgence of nuclear energy and noted that the pace of that advancement is built upon our partnerships. Ellis commented on how beneficial reuse, the process of DOE transferring site land back to a community, is an opportunity for economic growth in a community. To build on this, EM is considering other ways it can create opportunities for communities. Most recently, DOE released an RFI for Artificial Infrastructure on DOE Land. Datacenters will require specialized IT equipment, cooling facilities, generation for power, and other unique needs that EM sites and host communities are uniquely equipped to support, and the RFI lists 16
sites that are best suited for the opportunity. However, Ellis clarified that for any RFI DOE releases, if a specific community is not included, it does not make them ineligible to respond, and Ellis encouraged communities and local governments to respond to the RFI in creative ways. The RFI opened on April 7 and will close on May 7, after which the next step for DOE will be to put out a competitive public solicitation. Ellis closed her remarks by encouraging attendees to stay educated; and to consider how to engage with DOE as it focuses on energy addition, and how nuclear will be key to energy addition. She stated “The new administration is putting a lot of energy behind doing new things in new ways. We all are buoyed by the progress that of each of us makes; that moves us forward into the nuclear renaissance.”
Afterwards, Chuck Hope, City Councilor for Oak Ridge, TN and ECA Secretary, facilitated a panel to provide updates on developments in Paducah, KY; Tri-Cities, WA; Oak
Ridge, TN; Kemmerer, WY; and other communities featured at previous ECA Forums. Panelists outlined the progress made in each of their communities, projects underway and insight into any legislation, advisory board actions or economic development initiatives that helped provide momentum to their projects and get them off the ground. The following speakers represented their communities and shared valuable insight with attendees:
Next, a panel of made up of local economic developers provided their perspective, and what they are doing to help make their communities “Open for Business”. Robbie Bennett, President and CEO of the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO) facilitated a discussion of local, state, Tribal and regional economic development leaders on how they identify the resources they have, how they evaluate the projects they want, and the policies needed to create the “right” business environment. The following speakers shared their
insights: The Forum also featured multiple sessions for nuclear innovation, investors, and developers to showcase their technology to host communities and start new conversations with local leaders. Presenters detailed project goals and opportunities, current project outlook and deployment timeline, siting criteria for potential host communities, states, Tribes,
and regions, and what benefits they believe they can bring to local governments. Presenters included:
On the second and last day of the ECA Forum, David Wright, Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, provided a morning address to share with attendees how the NRC is considering planning, licensing, and risk reduction for new nuclear. He began his address by bulleting the three main priorities for the NRC going forward: - Identify and fill technical gaps,
and consider how to support and provide for applicant needs
- Stay committed to the NRC process and ensure public and environmental safety
- Align with the ADVANCE Act – consider what needs to be changed within NRC to align with energy priorities and to facilitate, rather than be a roadblock to nuclear development and the nuclear industry
Chairman Wright commented that to achieve these priorities, the NRC will have to create guidance and rules to facilitate nuclear in the
commercial space. He noted that the NRC has already found ways to tighten the security review while retaining its high integrity. He stated: “The NRC must advance, enable, the secure the use and deployment of nuclear in a safe way – that’s we should be doing, and that’s what we were initially charged with.” Chairman Wright emphasized that cooperation and coordination among government agencies and between government
and industry will be key to ushering in new reactors. He wants to talk with DOE and the Department of Defense (DOD) about a joint cooperation agreement, and he commented on how funding from DOE-NE, hyperscalers, and other private investors will be necessary to support NRC applicants through the review process. To best support current applicants, and the cascade of applicants that will be coming in the following years, Chairman Wright stated that the NRC will have to double its number of reviewers every year to keep up. He also emphasized that the NRC, and the nuclear industry at large, will need people from all backgrounds working in the nuclear space – not just engineers. Chairman Wright also spoke on how the NRC’s mission is not only to support national markets, but also international markets. The world wants to build American reactors - but they need to be licensed by the NRC first. The NRC needs to standardize the review process and license designs to enable deployment in these markets. Chairman Wright closed his remarks by emphasizing that the NRC does not promote, nor does it consult; its job is to be ready to review.
Following on this international focus, Faith Sanchez, ECA Director of Policy, moderated a session that looked at how SMRs and new nuclear planning is being addressed outside of the United States. Policymakers and nuclear energy community leaders discussed their regulatory and public engagement efforts to build support and strategies to overcome the challenges of
developing gigawatts of new nuclear generation: - Justin Browder, Director, Jensen Hughes
- Bonnie Hong, Director, International Programs, Nuclear Science & Technology, INL
- Lauren
Hughes, Deputy Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, Atlantic Council Global Energy Center
- Phil Matthews,
Executive Director, Nuleaf; Vice President, GMF Europe
To clos out the Forum Kara Colton facilitated panel on how to connect the front-end of the fuel cycle to the back end. Nuclear waste management, via consolidated storage or repository siting, is a foundational step in new nuclear development - even for a future recycling program. Panelists discussed what waste streams may be produced by new nuclear
technologies, what options and technologies are available to safely manage waste, and the opportunities that hosting new nuclear waste facilities may present for a community. Speakers came from a variety of backgrounds: - Dorothy Davidson, President and CEO, Orano Federal Services
- Stefan Mayer, Team Lead Radioactive Waste Disposal, IAEA
- Katrina McMurrian, Executive Director, Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition
- Everett Redmond, Senior Director of Federal Affairs, Oklo
ECA is proud to bring another New Nuclear Forum to an end. We look
forward to what developments, initiatives and growth will come from the many discussions held at this year’s forum, and we are excited to see what developments the next year in nuclear will bring. ECA would also like to extend a very special thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters for supporting the ECA Forum and contributing to this premiere event!
To review the agenda for each day of the Forum, and access panel speaker bios and panel presentations, click here. If you weren’t able to attend the Forum or missed out a particular session, don’t worry –
all sessions have been recorded and will be uploaded to ECA’s website and YouTube channel in the coming
weeks.
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.
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 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.
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: Louisiana explores the promise—and reality—of ‘advanced nuclear’ as industrial energy needs soar It’s not necessarily a new topic. The promise
of what’s dubbed as “advanced nuclear” has been bandied about for well over a decade. What’s different is the urgent tone of the current conversation, which has noticeably intensified in just the last several months. Nuclear power, the oft-controversial renewable energy source, has once again bubbled to the surface of public discourse, but this time with serious fervor and on multiple fronts. State agencies are collectively engaging in nuclear discussions with experts from across the country,
local energy providers are making serious plans for nuclear expansion, LSU researchers are pursuing the development of a local nuclear workforce, and most interestingly perhaps, Dow and other industrial owners are considering its implementation at the plant level. Read the full story State legislation: Bipartisan support growing for nuclear energy in Wisconsin Lawmakers are crossing the aisle to back proposals to expand nuclear power and nuclear research in the Badger State, especially as energy-hungry data center projects advance in Wisconsin and projections for energy demand soar. The state has a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 but will also need to generate more power to support data center plans, such as those being discussed in Port Washington and Beaver
Dam, according to media reports. “Data centers need electricity all day, every day, not just when the sun's shining or the wind's blowing,” Paul Wilson, chair of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s nuclear engineering department, told the Cap
Times this week. “There [are] lots of ways to take advantage of those resources more in the state. I think we could do with more solar, more wind in Wisconsin. But if you want to be running a 24/7 operation with clean energy, nuclear (power) is really your best choice.” Read the full story Hanford to hold virtual meeting on proposed waste processing facility The Department of Energy’s Hanford Field Office and Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) will
hold a virtual public meeting on April 30 to learn more about the siting, construction, and operation of a proposed Contact-Handled Waste Processing Treatment and Storage Area at the DOE’s Hanford Site near Richland, Wash. Ecology is currently considering issuing a dangerous-waste permit for the facility, which would be located at the Central Waste Complex in Hanford’s 200 West
Area. Read the full story
GoneFission Nuclear Report - Centrus: American-Made Uranium Enrichment Apr. 21, 2025 | S5 E1 The Gone Fission Nuclear Report launches Season 5 with a new episode featuring a discussion with Amir Vexler, President and CEO of Centrus Energy Group. Centrus is playing a vital role in the nuclear renaissance with its manufacturing of uranium enrichment centrifuges in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and operation of the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The
size of the Pentagon, the plant is pioneering the development of High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU), expected to be a crucial fuel fuel component for both existing reactors and a new generation of advanced reactors. Welcome to Season 5. https://gonefissionpodcast.com/ NucleCast - James Petrosky, Ph.D.: Nuclear Power, The Future of Energy Security Apr. 22, 2025 | S02 E215 Jim Petrosky discusses the critical need for resilient energy infrastructure in the face of potential threats like EMP attacks in this episode. He explores the lessons learned from Europe's energy grid modernization, the future of nuclear power, and the challenges of public perception and political will surrounding nuclear energy. The conversation emphasizes the
importance of small modular reactors and the need for a dynamic energy grid that can adapt to changing demands and threats. https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/
Spring into Strategy: Radiation Messaging and Outreach Virtual | Multiple Dates Register Here ECA New Nuclear
Forum 2025 Idaho Falls, ID | April 22 - 24 Register
Here National Cleanup Workshop 2025 Arlington, VA | September 23 - 25 Learn More Here
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