Tag: nuclear power

Trump sends U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear deal to Congress, tied to Abraham Accords

The Trump administration has reportedly sent a civilian nuclear agreement signed last month with Saudi Arabia to Congress, kicking off a lengthy review process.

Per media reports using unnamed sources, the agreement was formally sent to Congress on Monday, setting up a months-long review period by the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the civilian nuclear pact will:

  • “Expand American nuclear technology exports
  • Create high-paying U.S. jobs and long-term economic growth
  • Strengthen America’s energy and national security posture
  • Reinforce global nonproliferation standards
  • Deepen the strategic partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”

The Wall Street Journal reported on the deal being sent to Congress on Tuesday.

The agreement falls under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which provides a review period for Congress totaling 90 days of continuous session. However, this includes a period of 30 days of continuous session for the president to consult with the committees. It is unclear if this process has already been completed.

An official told ABC News that the deal remains contingent upon Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords.

On July 23rd, a day after the deal was signed, Trump announced that the agreement would be subject to the kingdom joining the accords, which would require the majority-Muslim country to normalize relations with Israel.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly opposed normalizing relations with Israel without the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

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Portable 1MW Kaleidos Microreactor Secures Critical Nuclear Fuel Deal Through 2030s

Radiant has secured a long-term source of nuclear fuel for its Kaleidos microreactor, removing a potential supply hurdle as the company prepares the system for deployment.

Standard Nuclear will fabricate TRISO fuel for Radiant under an agreement covering planned Kaleidos deployments through the early 2030s. The deal gives the reactor developer a dedicated fuel supplier as its program moves toward full-scale testing and production.

Fuel availability remains a critical challenge for advanced nuclear developers. A reactor cannot reach customers without a reliable source of qualified fuel. Radiant is betting that greater control over its supply chain will help avoid that problem.

Fuel supply secured

Standard Nuclear will produce fuel specifically for the Kaleidos reactor. TRISO fuel consists of uranium particles protected by several layers of ceramic and carbon materials. Advanced reactor developers have adopted the technology for its ability to contain radioactive materials within each fuel particle.

Kaleidos is a 1-megawatt microreactor designed for transport to customer sites. Each unit can operate for up to five years before refueling.

Tori Shivanandan, Radiant’s president and COO, said securing fuel represents an important step toward larger-scale deployment. “Securing the fuel supply chain is a strategic advantage to deploying at scale,” she said.

Radiant also plans to control the reactor’s broader fuel cycle. Customers would not handle fresh or spent fuel at their locations. The company instead plans to manage fueling, refueling, and storage through its own facilities.

Reactor testing advances

Kaleidos is now undergoing full-scale testing at Idaho National Laboratory’s DOME facility. The Department of Energy selected Radiant through a competitive process and granted it exclusive access to the facility for one year.

Engineers will test the reactor at full scale and full power during extended runs. The campaign will use the same reactor design and fuel specifications intended for customer deployments.

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Romania Forced to Shut Down Its Only Nuclear Power Plant as the Water Levels in the Danube River Drop More

First – the wildfires; now – the droughts.

We have been reporting on how the hot summer season in Europe is causing all kinds of disturbances – and one of the most consequential is the drought of many important rivers of the continent.

The mythic ‘Blue Danube’, for example, is so low that it’s causing real problems in the energy system of both Hungary and Romania.

Today (13), it arises that Romania has been forced to completely shut down its only nuclear power station.

BBC reported:

“The Cernavodă plant, where two reactors produce about 20% of Romania’s electricity, is not expected to be restarted within the next 10 days.

Earlier this week, authorities tried to increase the water flow to the plant – which uses the Danube for cooling – by sinking barges loaded with rocks in the river.

Neighboring Hungary has so far avoided a shutdown of its only nuclear plant in Paks, which also uses the Danube. The waters in Europe’s second-longest river have fallen to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries.”

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UAE Hails ‘Historic Milestone’ As Fourth And Final Reactor Begins Commercial Operation

The fourth and final unit at the Barakah nuclear power station in the United Arab Emirates has begun commercial operation, marking full delivery of a project that will generate 25% of the kingdom’s electricity needs, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation said on Thursday (5 September).

Enec, which is responsible for the deployment and ownership of nuclear energy plants in the UAE, said the “historic milestone” of full operation for all four units at the station means Barakah is now generating 40 TWh of electricity per year, nearly the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of New Zealand.

“This clean and carbon-free energy is enough to power 16 million EVs annually,” Enec said. “This represents the largest decarbonisation effort in the UAE and the region, positioning the country ahead of its 2030 climate commitments.”

Construction of Barakah, the first commercial nuclear power station to operate in the Arab World, began in 2012. The first of its four South Korea-supplied APR1400 plants began commercial operation in 2021.

Enec managing director and chief executive officer Mohamed Al Hammadi said Barakah, on the Persian Gulf coast west of the city of Abu Dhabi, offers “a new model for the world” and demonstrates that nuclear energy is bankable and can be delivered efficiently.

He said the units came online within eight years from first concrete pour to fuel load and achieved a 40% improvement in schedule from start of operational readiness to commercial operations for Unit 4 compared to Unit 1.

Speaking at the World Nuclear Symposium in London on Thursday, Al Hammadi said growth in energy demand is “serious” and the nuclear industry has two options: do nothing and continue as a small industry, or “if we act and tap into this demand, we can create change”.

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US Lays Groundwork For Approving Offshore Nuclear Power Projects

The U.S. federal government has outlined a preliminary framework to oversee the approval of offshore nuclear power projects, advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda to safely unleash domestic energy production and reestablish the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy.

“While no commercial deployment on the Outer Continental Shelf is planned or approved at this time, it could greatly strengthen America’s energy security in the future,” Matt Giacona, acting director of the Interior Department’s Marine Minerals Administration, said in announcing the initiative on July 22.

The Marine Minerals Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) released an agreement on Wednesday that lays the groundwork for a more “detailed cooperative framework” outlining jurisdictional oversight for development of offshore nuclear power projects in “a safe and environmentally responsible way.”

The memorandum of understanding between the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), which oversees energy projects in federal waters of the outer continental shelf, and the federal government’s independent civilian nuclear regulator will “foster cooperation” and “allow shared technical expertise to ensure reviews are efficient and transparent,” the NRC said in a statement.

Director of the NRC’s Office of Advanced Reactors Jeremy Bowen said the agreement “creates a clear framework for how our agencies will work together and ensures our processes remain efficient, transparent, and technically robust.”

“The agreement will also allow MMA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to responsibly respond to industry requests, supporting novel offshore energy production,” the MMA added.

The MMA also oversees offshore development such as seabed mining and space launch infrastructure.

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US, Japan, Korea agree to accelerate small modular reactor deployment in Indo-Pacific where data centers are expanding

Nuclear-powered data centers built in certain countries could provide foreign nations access to data and compute via digital embassies: perspective

The United States, Japan, and South Korea sign a trilateral memorandum of cooperation to accelearte small modular reactor (SMR) deployments in other countries, starting with the Indo-Pacific — a region that is rapidly expanding AI  data center construction. 

Today, representatives from the three countries signed the MOC at the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey as a means to “foster fleet deployment models that de-risk project development, achieve economies of scale, catalyze private investment, streamline licensing processes, and optimize supply chains.”

“A coordinated trilateral approach positions American, Japanese, and Korean firms to provide partners in the region with more competitive alternatives to meet their growing energy demands and to uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation as new reactor technology increasingly comes online”US State Department, The United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea Sign a Trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on Small Modular Reactor Deployments in Other Countries, July 2026

Nowhere in the US State Department press release does it mention that the SMRs would be used for powering AI data centers.

However, the Indo-Pacific is a region teeming with data center expansion in countries like Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and of course, China, which dominates the region with approximately 450 facilities.

According to a 2024 report from the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, data centers are “The Indo-Pacific’s Hottest Trend.”

Meanwhile, small Modular Reactors have been put forth as a potential means to generate between 50MW to 300MW of nuclear power, with applications that include data centers, according to the Idaho National Laboratory. 

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Trump Greenlights 30-Year U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Cooperation Deal, Positioning American Companies to Lead Saudi Civilian Nuclear Development

President Donald Trump has formally approved a landmark 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, clearing the way for U.S. support of the kingdom’s civilian nuclear energy program and deepening one of Washington’s most important strategic partnerships in the Middle East.

The agreement, valued at tens of billions of dollars, positions American companies as the primary partners in developing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure while limiting opportunities for competitors such as China and Russia.

According to U.S. officials and multiple reports, the accord could also allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own territory under a civilian nuclear framework—a provision that has already sparked debate among lawmakers and nonproliferation experts.

President Trump reportedly approved the agreement late last week. It is expected to be formally signed on Wednesday by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

The pact builds on negotiations completed in late 2025 and follows commitments made during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington. It establishes the legal framework for U.S. assistance in constructing nuclear power plants, developing supporting infrastructure, and transferring civilian nuclear technology to the kingdom.

Supporters describe the agreement as a major geopolitical victory that reinforces the U.S.-Saudi alliance while ensuring that American companies—not Chinese or Russian state-backed firms—lead one of the world’s largest emerging nuclear energy projects.

The most controversial aspect of the agreement is its reported allowance for Saudi Arabia to pursue uranium enrichment within its civilian nuclear program.

Previous U.S. nuclear cooperation agreements often required partner nations to permanently renounce uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing—the so-called “gold standard” of nonproliferation. Reports indicate that this agreement adopts a more flexible approach, incorporating safeguards designed to prevent military use while stopping short of requiring the full implementation of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Additional Protocol, which provides the agency with broader inspection authority.

Administration officials maintain that the agreement includes sufficient protections to ensure the program remains exclusively peaceful. Critics, however, argue that relaxing long-standing U.S. standards could weaken global nonproliferation efforts.

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Challenging NYT’s Suggestion That We Should Stop Worrying and Love Radiation

Alfred Meyer, long active in Physicians for Social Responsibility and former co-chair of its Radiation and Health Committee, challenged an article in the July 3 New York Times, headlined “US to Overhaul Radiation Safety Rules to Spur Nuclear Expansion.”

In a July 6 letter to the article’s author, Brad Plumer, Meyer wrote:

When I read the New York Times business page, I assume that there is a high level of investigative journalism being presented so that the news I read will present thorough and well-researched information about the topic at hand. This is not the case with this article.

Plumer began his piece by paraphrasing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s proposal on July 1 to overhaul its safety rules for radiation exposure at nuclear power plants. As he put it, the commission was concerned by the cost of the regulations and their tendency to “go beyond what is needed to protect human health.”

The NRC’s proposal asserted that current regulations often incur additional costs “without a measurable safety benefit”—for example, Plumer supplied, when regulators install additional equipment at plants in order to push radiation exposure “far below the legal limits.” Maximum dose limits, the agency said, are already set “well below levels associated with known health effects.”

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US Nuclear Regulator Seeks Simpler Environmental Reviews To Boost Nuclear Expansion

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on July 8 proposed narrowing environmental reviews for new and renewed nuclear reactor licenses, a move the agency said would reduce costs, as the Trump administration pushes to expand nuclear energy.

The proposal would change how the NRC implements the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), limiting reviews to environmental effects that fall within the agency’s legal authority.

The NRC described the proposal as the “most comprehensive update to its environmental review regulations in decades,” adding that it would remove outdated requirements and make the licensing process more efficient.

NRC Chairman Ho Nieh said the proposal, which is open for public comment until Aug. 21, would better align the agency’s environmental reviews with what Congress intended under NEPA.

He told reporters: “For many, many, many years, NRC did much more than required by law in the National Environmental Policy Act. So this really brings us back to what NEPA demands, nothing more, nothing less.”

Nieh also said, “By concentrating on impacts the NRC can address, we’ll strengthen environmental protection while making licensing reviews more timely and predictable.”

He said that the NRC proposes to limit areas where it does not have authority over effects on the environment, such as the construction of nuclear plants.

“Dust, noise, air impacts, non-radiological water, or non-radiological effects, all of those things are examples of where they’re outside of our regulatory authority, and so we won’t be doing those in the future,” he said.

NRC’s chief environmental review and permitting officer, Kimyata Savoy, said the proposal would save reactor developers and the agency about $135 million in licensing costs for new reactors and license renewals.

Other measures under the proposal include new categorical exclusions, an update of environmental review procedures, and greater flexibility for applicants in providing environmental information.

The proposal follows a series of actions by President Donald Trump aimed at expanding nuclear power in the United States. Trump signed four executive orders on May 23, 2025, directing the NRC to license 10 new reactors by 2030 and supporting a plan to quadruple U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050.

One of them, executive order 14300, directed the NRC to reform its licensing process. The White House said the commission had slowed nuclear development by imposing unnecessary regulatory requirements.

U.S. Energy Information Administration data show that last year, nuclear energy accounted for about 18 percent of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation.

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Trump Admin Kicks Off American Nuclear Renaissance With $17.5 Billion Loan Program For Reactor Projects

With hyperscalers set to spend roughly $800 billion on data-center capex this year alone, alongside reshoring and broader grid electrification, baseload power demand is poised to surge.

We have made the case that intermittent solar and wind are no match for the scale and reliability requirements of the modern economy, and that nuclear power is emerging as the clean, always-on power source needed to power the AI era.

The Wall Street Journal reports Tuesday morning that the Trump administration plans to supercharge the deployment of nuclear power with a $17.5 billion low-interest loan program to help utilities finance orders for Westinghouse Electric Co.’s AP1000 reactors.

The Energy Department, under Secretary Chris Wright, plans to make five loans available for two-reactor projects, with the goal of expediting equipment orders and cutting up to three years from construction timelines.

More from the report:

Seven utilities have already signed formal letters of intent for the five available project loans, according to the Energy Department, which didn’t name the utilities.

Wright said the plan to accelerate the deployment timeline of ten reactors will “unleash the next American nuclear renaissance.”

Those reactors “will also help accelerate the timeline of building those large-scale reactors by up to three years, lowering construction costs and ensuring the United States is able to deliver on President Trump’s bold and ambitious energy addition agenda,” Wright said.

The AP1000 reactors, which produce about 1,100 megawatts of power, are slated to come online in 2035 and will generate enough electricity to power a midsize city or a large data center.

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