TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT TO KNOW THIS WEEK
- Congressional Update
- Continuing Resolution Ends January 30 – currently we do not expect a minibus with Energy and Water or a long term CR to pass prior to the end of the calendar year. When Congress returns from the Holidays we expect that the Senate and House will not repeat
a long-term CR. We expect either a full year CR (not what Congress wants) or a bill to pass the remaining appropriation bills prior to January 30 deadline (and always at or near the deadline just to make it exciting).
- National Defense Authorization Bill expected to move after Thanksgiving, new bill text expected early December.
- Elections November 3, 2026.
- DOE announced the selection of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Holtec Government Services to
support early deployments of advanced light-water small modular reactors - read more below.
- Happening today! Join ECA to learn more about Advancing New Nuclear with Datacenter Development - click here to register!
- ECA New Nuclear Forum to be hosted in Augusta, GA from April 21-23, 2026.
- ECA's latest report "From
the Atomic Age to New Nuclear" highlights new nuclear projects across the country - see more below.
- Visit ECA on LinkedIn for regular updates.
DOE SELECTS TVA AND HOLTEC FOR $800M AWARD TO ADVANCE DEPLOYMENT OF US SMRTuesday, DOE announced the selection of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Holtec to split $800 million in funding for the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors in the United States. TVA, a federally owned utility, plans to use the funding to advance deployment of a SMR at the Clinch River nuclear site in Tennessee and accelerate the deployment of additional units, according to DOE. Holtec plans to utilize the funding to deploy two reactors at the Palisades nuclear site in Michigan, the department said. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - $400,000,000 - TVA
plans to advance deployment of a GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 at the Clinch River Nuclear site in Tennessee, as well as accelerate the deployment of additional units with Indiana Michigan Power and Elementl. Additionally, TVA plans to work with the domestic nuclear supply chain partners Scot Forge, North American Forgemasters, BWX Technologies, and Aecon. Other partners supporting the project include Duke Energy, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the Electric Power Research
Institute.
Holtec Government Services, LLC (Holtec) - $400,000,000 - Holtec plans to deploy two SMR-300 reactors at the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station site in Covert, Michigan, demonstrating viability for additional orders both domestically and abroad. Holtec is pursuing an innovative one-stop-shop approach to SMR deployment by fulfilling the roles of technology vendor, supply
chain vendor, nuclear plant constructor in partnership with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, plant operator, and electricity merchant selling the power to near-by utilities and end-users.
“The Clinch River Site and Palisades Nuclear Generating Station both have proud nuclear energy legacies and are deservedly at the forefront of this next step forward for American nuclear power,” Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said in
a statement. Read the full announcement here.
JOIN ECA TODAY FOR OUR NEXT WEBINAR "ADVANCING NEW NUCLEAR WITH DATACENTER DEVELOPMENT"
The next installment of ECA's Winter Webinar Series continues today, December 4 at 2:00pm ET with "Advancing New Nuclear with Datacenter Development". As artificial intelligence and cloud computing drive exponential growth in electricity demand,
data center developers are turning to nuclear energy for reliable, carbon-free power needed to operate continuously. This session explores the concerns local officials must address when co-locating data centers with existing or new nuclear generation. Speakers will discuss regulatory considerations, what makes an “ideal” site, community engagement, and partnership models that align digital infrastructure expansion with public safety and sustainability goals. Moderator: AJ Ridge - Director of Programs, ECA Iain Macdonald - Principal and Future Energy Systems Development Lead, HKS Ilissa Miller - Editor-in-Chief, DataCenter Post David Reeploeg - Executive Director, Hanford Communities Peter Rodrik - Associate Administrator for Partnership and Acquisition Services, NNSA Aditi Verma - Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
NEW NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHT: VIRGINIA
In ECA’s latest paper, “From the Atomic Age to New Nuclear,” ECA captures a snapshot of the nuclear projects underway in the United States by state including both federal and private
sites, and lays out the attributes that make energy communities optimal for this new era of American nuclear leadership. Keep reading what new nuclear projects are already underway in the great state of Virginia in the excerpt below: Fusion Power Plant in Virginia - Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) intends to independently finance, build, own, and operate the world’s first grid-scale commercial fusion
power plant, known as ARC, at the James River Industrial Park in Chesterfield County, Virginia. As part of this effort, CFS reached an agreement with Dominion Energy Virginia to provide non-financial collaboration, including development and technical expertise as well as leasing rights for the proposed site. Dominion Energy Virginia currently owns the proposed site. The project is expected to generate billions of dollars in economic development in the region and create hundreds of jobs during
the construction and long-term operation of the power plant. ARC will generate about 400 megawatts of electricity — enough energy to power large industrial sites or about 150,000 homes. Learn more about the project here. To learn more about New Nuclear projects in Virginia and across the country, as well as how energy communities will be instrumental to their success, click here to read From the Atomic Age to New Nuclear.
ECA NEW NUCLEAR FORUM TO BE HOSTED IN AUGUSTA, GA FROM APRIL 21-23, 2026
Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is pleased to host the fifth annual ECA Forum in Augusta, GA from April 21 - April 23, 2026. The meeting is part of ECA’s ongoing New Nuclear Initiative to define the role of local governments in supporting the development of the new nuclear technologies. April 21 | Registration Opens & Nuclear 101 April 22 | Full Day General Session April 23 | Half-Day General Session The ECA Forum is the only meeting designed to bring together DOE, federal, state, local and tribal governments and policymakers with developers, utilities, regulators, industry, and academia to identify opportunities, challenges and to build the partnerships necessary to support nuclear development. Stay tuned for further details on registration, agenda, and
more! WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The ECA Forum is open to communities, State, Tribal and local policymakers, industry, utilities, developers, experts, financiers, state legislators, community groups, and economic development organizations working to build capacity and support for new nuclear development in the U.S. AGENDA:
Agenda coming soon! ECA is working with private and community partners to develop an agenda 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.
WHAT YOU'VE MISSED: NRC Releases the Final Sunset Rule for Comment The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to insert a conditional sunset date into certain regulations in response to Executive Order (E.O.) 14270, “Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy.” The final rule is effective January 8, 2026, unless significant adverse comments are received by January 2,
2026. Read the full story Fuel delivery makes launch of Project Pele microreactor one step closer to completion The Idaho National Lab joined with the U.S. Department of Energy and other entities Tuesday morning to celebrate the recent delivery of advanced nuclear fuel to the INL’s Transient Reactor Test Facility. The delivery, which consists of four 48-inch by 36-inch canisters, took place on Nov. 5. It’s a major milestone for Project Pele, a mobile microreactor prototype designed to provide resilient power for military operations. Read the full story How Nuclear Technology Tackles Plastic Pollution Every year, around 20 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, rivers, and lakes — disrupting ecosystems
and livelihoods. NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics), an IAEA initiative launched in 2020, is using science to track, understand, and reduce plastic pollution from the atomic level up. Read the full story
Advancing New Nuclear with Datacenter Development - ECA Winter Webinar Series Virtual | December 4, 2025 Learn More Here Co-location Options with Nuclear Storage - ECA Winter Webinar Series Virtual | January 8,
2026 Learn More Here Siting Options for High Level Waste and Used Nuclear Fuel
- ECA Winter Webinar Series Virtual | February 12, 2026 Learn More Here Spent Fuel Storage and Advanced Fuel Cycle Facilities: Co-location for Safety and Sustainability - ECA Winter Webinar Series Virtual | March 5, 2026 Learn More Here ECA New Nuclear Forum 2026 Augusta, GA | April 21 - 23 Learn More Here National Cleanup Workshop 2026 Arlington, VA | September 14-16 Learn More Here
Marketplace October 27, 2025 The nuclear technology company Kairos is using molten salt cooling, a technique originally developed in the mid-20th century, to advance the safety and reliability of small, modular nuclear reactors, according to journalist Mark Harris. Some AI companies are turning to nuclear power to meet demand for electricity. But traditional nuclear plants can take decades to bring online. Now some tech companies are partnering with startups trying to build small, modular nuclear reactors, designed with speed in mind. One such company, Kairos, has a deal with Google to build a fleet of modular reactors. To do so, it’s
relying on a technique first developed in the mid-20th century: molten-salt cooling. Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with journalist Mark Harris, who wrote about Kairos for MIT Technology Review, to learn more. Listen Here Gone Fission Podcast October 27, 2025 While many companies--foreign and domestic--are engaged in advancing the nuclear renaissance, one company stands out for its reputation and deep involvement in the evolution of commercial nuclear power over a period of decades. In this week’s episode, host Michael Butler takes a look at what Bechtel is doing today to further advanced nuclear technology in the U.S. and abroad. Our guest is Ahmet Tokpinar, Principal Vice President and General Manager of Bechtel’s nuclear power
business iine. We’ll also have more from Mike Deane, the “Nuclear Average Joe”, who’s burning up the internet with his easy-to-digest layman’s take on the benefits of nuclear power. Listen Here
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