Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Doug Robison, a third-generation Texas oilman, transformed his organic farming company into Natura Resources, an advanced nuclear startup collaborating with Abilene Christian University to develop molten-salt reactors. The company plans to build its first test reactor by 2028 and a 100-megawatt commercial reactor by 2032, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and partnerships with multiple universities.

The Supreme Court is considering overturning the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor v. United States decision, which established congressional authority to create independent agencies. The case could redefine the balance of power between the executive branch and independent regulatory bodies, with liberals and conservatives holding opposing views compared to 1935. The current Court's potential reversal would impact agencies like the Federal Reserve and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The U.S. Energy Department announced that Antares Nuclear Inc.'s microreactor at Idaho National Lab achieved criticality, a milestone under the Trump administration's nuclear energy initiative. The reactor, expected to produce electricity by late 2027, marks the first by a private company in the program.

The U.S. Energy Department announced that a microreactor developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at Idaho National Lab achieved criticality, a key milestone for producing electricity. This marks the first time a private company under a Trump administration pilot program has reached this stage, with plans for commercial deployment by 2028.

The article criticizes the nuclear industry's 'new and improved nukes' sales pitch, highlighting Vermont's 58 nuclear waste storage casks along the Connecticut River and the long-term management challenges. It notes the Vernon site's $300 million cost to monitor 1.2 million kilograms of spent nuclear fuel until 2052, arguing that current policies prioritize corporate profits over resolving waste issues.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is finalizing simplified federal rules for fusion energy, treating it as fundamentally safer than nuclear fission and requiring a less stringent permitting process. Fusion generates power by combining light atoms without producing long-lived radioactive waste or risk of meltdowns, positioning the technology for commercialization in the United States within the next decade.

X-energy, an Amazon-backed nuclear startup, received federal environmental approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its Texas nuclear reactors. The approval marks progress toward permits for constructing its first high-temperature gas-cooled reactor plant.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to continue operations until 2030. This decision concludes a three-year regulatory process.