TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS & WHAT TO KNOW THIS WEEK

NEW MEXICO FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DOE OVER CLEANUP AT LOS ALAMOS

State environmental regulators announced on Wednesday that New Mexico has filed suit against the Department of Energy (DOE), demanding that the DOE expedite the cleanup of legacy nuclear and hazardous waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The state will also fine the agency up to $16 million for violating groundwater safety standards near the lab, civil penalties outlined by the New Mexico Environment Department in a series of regulatory enforcement actions.

“The continued presence of a large volume of unremedied hazardous and radioactive waste demonstrates a longstanding lack of urgency by the U.S. Department of Energy,” regulators wrote in a statement, “and elevates the risk of waste storage failures” at the lab, in northern New Mexico.

New Mexico is pushing for priority disposal of the lab’s legacy waste over new waste. Click here to read the full article from The New York Times.

This story is continuing to develop, and ECA will provide updates as they are made available. 

ECA wrote a letter to NMED Secretary in November and spoke with the NMED Secretary on the issue that restricting the use of WIPP does not lead to cleanup and instead slows the cleanup process around the country.  

ECA and local leaders from New Mexico stressed during the meeting that the solution is to work with DOE on processing more TRU waste shipments from Los Alamos while recognizing that WIPP is available to take shipments from around the country as they are available.  WIPP remains one of the most important sites in the DOE complex.

Without WIPP, communities hosting federal cleanup sites may become de facto storage sites for the TRU waste created during the Cold War. WIPP was built and re-licensed by the State of New Mexico last year to dispose of the State of NM and other states should be supporting the mission.

As the only operating geological repository in the U.S., WIPP is the single most important site for all communities that are part of nation’s defense environmental cleanup mission. ECA has long recognized and supported WIPP’s mission. 

WIPP plays a critical role in the cleanup of our communities and the legacy of weapons production and research. Since it became operational in 1999, WIPP has set the standard for safe, permanent disposal of long-lived transuranic (TRU) radioactive defense wastes. The WIPP facility has assisted in the remediation of 22 DOE sites of legacy TRU waste since operations began. It is the only facility of its kind. 

DON'T MISS OUT! EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW NUCLEAR FORUM ENDS TODAY

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.

ECA is excited to announce Tim Walsh, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management at the U.S. Department of Energy will be speaking at the forum.

We would like to give a big thanks to Gold Sponsor Atkins Realis for their support of energy communities and making this must-attend event a reality.

Atkins Realis are stewards of CANDU® technology, a Canadian pressurized heavy-water reactor design, which has been used to generate electric power for more than 60 years. For almost 30 years, Atkins has successfully addressed some of the industry’s most challenging cleanup and decommissioning tasks across various facilities. They offer an array of specialized nuclear safety, quality assurance, oversight and assessment services, supported by a team of experienced personnel dedicated to serving our customers.

Meet Atkins Realis and a whole host of other nuclear leaders, developers, and innovators at the ECA Forum!

REGISTRATION RATES
General Attendees - register on or before Feb. 13 at a rate of $850.00.  After Feb. 13, registration rates will increase to $950.00.
Non-Profit & Government attendees - register on or before Feb. 13 at a rate of $695.00. After Feb. 13, registration rates will increase to $795.00.

SCHEDULE:

April 21 | Registration Opens & Nuclear 101
April 22 | Full-Day General Session
April 23 | Half-Day General Session
April 24 | All-Day Tour

AGENDA:
To see the full Agenda, Click here!
Additional speakers to be announced soon!

ECA is working with private and community partners to develop an agenda that takes a comprehensive look at what new nuclear projects require - from the front-end to the back-end of the fuel cycle to aligning support at local, state and federal levels. The Forum will explore emerging options for enabling legislation, public-private partnerships and regulatory oversight.

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.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Atkins Realis

DOE-NE

GAIN

DOE ANNOUNCES 26 GENESIS MISSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES TO BOOST AI-ENABLED INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP

Yesterday (February 12), DOE announced 26 science and technology challenges of national importance to advance the Genesis Mission and accelerate innovation and discovery through artificial intelligence (AI).

Building on Executive Orders issued in May of 2025, Launching The Genesis Mission and Removing Barriers to American Leadership In Artificial Intelligence, the challenges span DOE’s discovery science, energy, and national security missions. Each was selected for its potential to deliver measurable benefits and to accelerate advancements through the Genesis Mission’s AI platforms, world-class facilities, and public-private partnerships.

“These challenges represent a bold step toward a future where science moves at the speed of imagination because of AI. It’s a game-changer for science, energy, and national security,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science and Genesis Mission Lead Dr. Darío Gil. “By uniting the U.S. Government’s unparalleled data resources and DOE’s experimental facilities with cutting-edge AI, we can unlock discoveries that will power the economy, secure our energy future, and keep America at the forefront of global innovation.”

Working in partnership with DOE’s National Laboratories, industry, and academia, these efforts will deliver tangible results. Examples include:

• Scaling the Grid to Power the American Economy: Using AI to improve power grid planning, interconnection, operations, and security — enabling decisions up to 20–100 times faster and improving electricity cost and reliability by up to 10 percent.
• Harnessing America’s Historic Nuclear Data: Digitizing eight decades of nuclear research to create a secure, searchable database to inform future energy and security decisions.
• Enhancing Particle Accelerators for Discovery: Deploying AI to make accelerators adaptive and autonomous, accelerating breakthroughs in medicine, materials, and energy.
• Designing Materials with Predictable Functionality: Using AI to design materials based on performance goals, shrinking development timelines from decades to months.
• Unleashing Subsurface Strategic Energy Assets: Applying AI to model underground environments for responsible, cost-effective energy development.
• Achieving AI-Driven Autonomous Laboratories: Automating experiments to speed discovery of new drugs, advanced materials, and next-generation energy technologies.
• Reenvisioning Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Productivity: Bridging research and production with AI-driven systems that strengthen supply chains, improve manufacturing productivity and capability, speed the design to production loop, and create American jobs.
• Discovering Quantum Algorithms with AI: Accelerating quantum algorithm development to unlock breakthroughs in energy, chemistry, and logistics.
• Recentering Microelectronics in America: Advancing next-generation microelectronics to secure U.S. technological leadership, economic prosperity, and national security.

Through an integrated platform connecting the world’s leading supercomputers, experimental facilities, AI systems, and unique scientific data sets, the Genesis Mission aims to double the productivity and impact of U.S. research and development within a decade. This first set of challenges will demonstrate how AI can deliver faster discovery, stronger energy systems, and lasting leadership in science, technology, and national security.

Read the full press release from DOE here.

UPCOMING IAEA WEBINAR: UPDATE ON CIGÉO, THE FRENCH DEEP GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY PROGRAMME

UPCOMING EVENTS:

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

ECA Winter Series: Co-location Options with Nuclear Storage

January 8, 2026

As data centers and advanced fuel cycle facilities seek reliable, carbon-free power, new opportunities are emerging to co-locate these energy-intensive operations with nuclear generation and spent fuel storage sites. Such integration could strengthen grid resilience, reduce transmission losses, align high-demand digital infrastructure with established nuclear security and safety protocols and diversify economic opportunities for host communities and regions. Yet it also raises complex questions about regulatory frameworks, community acceptance, and long-term stewardship of nuclear materials. This webinar will bring together experts from the energy, technology, and policy sectors to explore how thoughtful colocation strategies can balance innovation, safety, and public trust in the next generation of nuclear infrastructure.
Speakers will include:
Moderator - Jennifer Chandler - Council Member, Village of Piketon 
Randall Hemann - City Manager, City of Oak Ridge 
David Pointer - Director, Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division, ORNL
Michele Sampson - Director, Division of New and Renewed Licenses, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC
Dr. Jenifer Shafer- Associate Director for Technology and Program Director, ARPA-E

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Advancing New Nuclear with Datacenter Development

December 8, 2025

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

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Winter Series: Creating Emergency Response Planning for Nuclear Storage Projects

November 6, 2025

Advanced nuclear projects are moving toward construction, and local governments play a frontline role in ensuring that emergency preparedness and management systems keep pace with development. City and county officials oversee first responders, coordinate public safety communications, and maintain the trust of residents who live and work near project sites. This webinar will highlight how mayors, emergency managers, and developers collaborate to build readiness from day one—through joint planning, drills, and transparent communication. Participants will gain insight into best practices for integrating project-specific safety requirements into local emergency operations and for sustaining preparedness over the full lifecycle of a nuclear facility.

Speakers include:

Moderator: Laura Hermann - Deputy Executive Director, Energy Communities Alliance

Chief Mike Cochran - Police Chief, City of Craig, Colorado

Lea Perlas - Fusion Program Director, Virginia Department of Health

Randall Ryti - Councilor, Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Brian Scroggins - Administrator of the Division of Planning, Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects

View the full webinar recording here! 

ECA Summer Series: Investing in Innovation: Financing Advanced Nuclear Projects

September 12, 2025

Wall Street has arrived to Main Street. Understanding financing pathways is no longer optional—it’s a prerequisite for informed local leadership and successful project development. Join ECA in its upcoming webinar featuring panelists shaping financing solutions for new generation of nuclear projects. Learn about the new business models emerging and how the financing will occur. Nuclear projects will only move forward if they are financeable. While government funding has played a vital role, the new generation of projects are looking at how to structure the “capital stack” and use a mix of private financing (debt and equity), tax credits, and DOE loan program. In addition, the announced Power Purchase Agreements between utilities and large off-taker such as Google, Meta and Amazon are providing the credit needed to attract financing – once the projects are ready for market. Join a conversation that will bring together government and the private sector to discuss these items and make recommendations on how these projects can move forward to facilitate these exciting business opportunities. This means real opportunities to attract capital, create jobs, and leverage nuclear projects for broader economic development.

Speakers include experts shaping the future of nuclear finance:

Facilitator: Seth Kirshenberg - Executive Director | Energy Communities Alliance and Partner, Kutak Rock LLP

Andy Roehr - Managing Director | Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP

Anthony Huston - Managing Partner | Quadrant Nuclear Industries

Chris Lohse - Innovation and Technology Manager | Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

View the full webinar recording here!

PODCASTS ON NUCLEAR: 

Gone Fission 2/9: 

It’s being called the biggest construction failure in American history. Companies went bankrupt. Executives went to jail. Ratepayers got stuck with the bill.
This week’s episode of the Gone Fission podcast takes a look at the history and current status of the Virgil Summer Nuclear Plant in South Carolina. Can this vital project be successfully revived? Can it contribute to future energy needs? Our guest is Jim Little, an industry veteran and member of the SC Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council.

Virtual | February 12, 2026

Listen here!