NUCLEAR POWER Direct
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Welcome to the November issue of NUCLEAR POWER Direct, a monthly e-newsletter from POWER magazine that provides important nuclear power news and information, including articles on new technology, operations and maintenance best practices, industry trends, innovative projects, and much more.
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NRC Approves Construction of First Electricity-Producing Gen IV Reactor in the U.S. | The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken a historic step by voting to issue construction permits for Kairos Power’s 70-MWth Hermes 2, a “low power” advanced test facility comprising two 35-MWth molten salt reactors. “Following the Commission’s vote, Hermes 2 is now the first electricity-producing Gen IV plant to be approved for construction in the United States,” said Kairos Power.
FERC Blocks PJM Proposal to Expand Amazon Data Center Load at Susquehanna Nuclear Plant | The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected an amended interconnection agreement that would have supported expanded co-located load at an Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center connected to the 2,520–MWe Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, citing grid reliability and cost fairness concerns.
Westinghouse, Radiant Secure $5M for Microreactor Tests at INL’s Pioneering DOME Testbed | Westinghouse and Radiant Industries have secured a $5 million Department of Energy (DOE) award to advance their microreactor designs for testing at the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) testbed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL)— the world’s first facility, specifically designed to support fueled reactor experiments for advanced nuclear technologies.
In Case You Missed It: Major Microreactor Developer Enters Bankruptcy Amid Nuclear Industry Surge | Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC), a developer of much-watched microreactor technology and advanced nuclear fuel, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move signals a critical restructuring phase through which the company will seek to secure new ownership while ensuring uninterrupted operations.
Trump's Focus on Energy Will Have Variety of Impacts | President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has made the U.S. energy industry a focus of its plans for his first days in office, with analysts and energy experts expecting a rollback of environmental regulations for coal- and natural gas-fired power plants. That may have some utilities rethinking their strategies about the scheduled closure of some fossil fuel-burning units.
Kenya Moves Forward with Plans for Country's First Nuclear Power Plant | Officials with Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) said the country is on track to start construction on its first nuclear power plant by 2027. The group at a parliamentary hearing this month said the facility would begin generating power by 2034.
U.S. Has Agreement to Help Build SMRs for Ukraine Power Generation | Officials from the U.S. and Ukraine said the countries will partner on building small modular reactors (SMRs) to replace the latter’s coal-fired power generation, with the SMRs used to help Ukraine decarbonize its steel industry.
Group Has Contract to Build Two New CANDU Reactors in Romania | Canada’s AtkinsRéalis Group announced it has an agreement to build two new CANDU nuclear reactors in Romania, which would be the first new reactors of that type built since 2007.
Oklo’s $25M Move into Radioisotope Production to Expand Advanced Nuclear Revenue Stream | Oklo has moved to acquire Atomic Alchemy, a U.S. firm specializing in high-value radioisotopes, in a $25 million all-stock transaction. The acquisition will add radioisotope production capabilities to Oklo’s advanced reactor and fuel recycling operations, creating a new revenue stream and strengthening the resilience of the isotope supply chain, the company said.
Vistra in Talks to Expand Power for Data Centers Through Nuclear, Gas Options | Vistra is pursuing deals with data center developers in Texas and the PJM region to address the industry’s energy needs at multiple sites, executives revealed during the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Nov. 7.