Topic
Policy & Regulation
Nuclear policy and regulation decide how fast anything gets built: NRC licensing rules, the ADVANCE Act's 36 implementation milestones, DOE funding programs and the executive-order reforms rewriting the framework. NNN covers each rulemaking and what it changes for developers.
Start here: NRC reactor licensing process, explained — NNN's reference piece on this topic.
DOE offers Vistra up to $4.2B for nuclear uprates
DOE offered Vistra up to $4.2 billion in conditional financing for nuclear uprates and modernization, with 433 MW of added capacity planned.
The 7 nuclear stories that mattered this week
TVA won a landmark SMR construction permit as US-Korea reactor plans, Holtec's Palisades application and new projects shaped a pivotal week in nuclear energy.
NRC approves TVA’s Clinch River BWRX-300 permit
The NRC approved TVA’s Clinch River construction permit after a 14-month review, clearing the way for a 300-MW BWRX-300 but not authorizing operation.
IAEA and IDB sign Latin America nuclear partnership
The IAEA and IDB signed a nuclear cooperation pact for Latin America and the Caribbean, where nuclear supplied 1.8% of power in 2025.
US, Japan and South Korea set SMR deployment plan
The US, Japan and South Korea announced an SMR deployment plan for third countries, but the September 23 release gave no projects or delivery dates.
The 8 nuclear stories that mattered this week
Palisades' fuel-loading pause, a major US reactor-project split, and new milestones in Europe, Canada and Asia shaped this week's nuclear news.
Singapore's nuclear future: policy, money and the industry map
Singapore is studying nuclear power, not building a plant. A guide to its laws, IAEA review, SMRs, fusion investments, financing and industry players.
IAEA lifts nuclear forecast again: capacity could triple by 2060
The IAEA projects global nuclear capacity could reach 1,284 GWe by 2060, 3.4 times today's fleet, with SMRs making up 28% of new builds in the high case.
The 6 nuclear stories that mattered this week
USDA opened nuclear financing for rural co-ops, Blue Energy filed with the NRC, and fuel and reactor plans advanced from Vietnam to the UK.
USDA opens $175M rural co-op fund to buy, build, or restart nuclear
USDA opened a $175M loan and grant program for rural electric cooperatives to buy, build, or restart nuclear plants. Letters of interest open October 19.
UK opens Xe-100 design assessment, first HTGR in GDA pipeline
UK regulators will begin Generic Design Assessment of X-energy's Xe-100, the first high-temperature gas reactor in the pipeline, for a fleet of up to 6 GW.
The 6 nuclear stories that mattered this week
From a $100B-plus Korea-US reactor package to a Duane Arnold restart and Zaporizhzhia's grid return, this week's nuclear story was execution.
DOE closes $1.9B loan to restart NextEra's Duane Arnold plant
US DOE closed a loan of up to $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy to restart Iowa's Duane Arnold plant, targeting a 2029 return under a 25-year Google power deal.
The 8 nuclear stories that mattered this week
Palisades loads fuel as the NRC flags restart lapses, Rosatom signs Kazakhstan's first EPC, Tennessee licenses fusion and US uranium output triples.
Why nuclear power plants can't shoot down drones
US nuclear plants may detect drones but not defeat them: federal law reserves counter-UAS authority for a few agencies, and the NRC requires no drone defenses.
Tennessee issues first state fusion license to Type One Energy
Tennessee issued the first fusion-specific state license in the US, clearing Type One Energy to break ground on its stellarator campus at Bull Run.
The 6 nuclear stories that mattered this week
This week's six consequential nuclear stories span U.S. defense microreactors, a 13-project DOE fast track, European construction and climate-linked operations.
Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, explained: DOE's private-build fast track
DOE's Nuclear Energy Launch Pad lets private developers build reactors and fuel plants under DOE authorization, at INL or nationwide, with no NRC license.
Gallup: 71% oppose local AI data centers, vs. 53% for nuclear
Gallup found 71% of Americans oppose a local AI data center, compared with 53% for a nuclear plant, complicating the race to add power.
Diablo Canyon receives $271 million nuclear credit payment
DOE paid PG&E $271 million under the Civil Nuclear Credit program to support continued operation of Diablo Canyon Unit 1 in California.
The 6 nuclear stories that mattered this week
TerraPower's guaranteed-price reactor fleet, Cernavoda's drought shutdown, Spain's phase-out retreat and Aalo's criticality push made a week about bankability.
Spain extends Almaraz operating licence to 2030, delaying phase-out
Spain's government renewed Almaraz's operating licence to June 2030, pushing back phase-out shutdowns set for 2027 and 2028 while keeping the 2035 exit date.
The 7 nuclear stories that mattered this week
From China's eight-reactor approval to Zaporizhzhia's power risk, this week's nuclear news was about turning plans, fuel and regulation into operating reality.
The ADVANCE Act, explained: what changed and where the NRC stands
The ADVANCE Act changed NRC licensing and fees. NRC’s dashboard showed 33 completed milestones and 3 in progress on September 28, 2026.
DOE nuclear funding, explained: every program paying for the buildout
DOE backs nuclear through loans, cost-shared demos, HALEU contracts and tax credits — $17.5bn in supply chain loans leads the 2026 lineup. The full map.
NRC reactor licensing process, explained
NRC reactor licensing uses safety, environmental and public reviews. Compare Parts 50, 52 and the optional Part 53 framework, effective April 2026.
How states procure new nuclear power
States buy new nuclear through a chain of planning, site readiness, competitive bids, financing, licensing and ratepayer review, not one approval.
DOE picks 278 Genesis Mission projects; nuclear takes largest award
The US Department of Energy selected 278 Genesis Mission projects backed by $5B, with the $60M INL-led Prometheus nuclear project the largest award.
DOE puts $60M behind INL-led Prometheus to build reactors with AI
DOE awarded $60M over three years to the INL-led Prometheus project, a 32-partner push to apply AI across reactor design, licensing and construction.
Power NJ Act, explained
New Jersey's Power NJ Act creates a competitive procurement path for at least 1,100 MW of new nuclear, with deadlines running to July 2028.
New Jersey keeps its 1,100 MW nuclear procurement moving
Governor Mikie Sherrill keeps New Jersey's Power NJ Act on a procurement clock, with at least 1,100 MW of new nuclear and deadlines to July 2028.
New Jersey sets timeline for 1,100 MW nuclear procurement
New Jersey's Power NJ Act sets a 1,100 MW nuclear procurement clock with 180-day, 60-day, 90-day and 12-month milestones.
Russia grants site licences for first two Kola units
Russia's regulator has granted site licences for the first two Kola nuclear units, clearing an early permitting step for the new plant.
New Jersey opens 1,100 MW nuclear procurement process
New Jersey launched a procurement program for at least 1,100 MW of new nuclear, giving the state its first competitive route to build.
Newcleo lays out NRC licensing path for 200 MWe reactor
Newcleo filed a Regulatory Engagement Plan with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its 200 MWe LFR-AS-200, opening pre-application talks.
NRC clears Westinghouse AP1000 exemption request
The NRC approved Westinghouse's AP1000 exemption request, removing a scheduling hurdle and keeping the design-certification renewal path open.
NRC proposes removing ALARA from radiation protection rules
The NRC wants to replace ALARA with a graded approach and raise effluent dose limits, reframing how radiation compliance is judged.
NITI Aayog maps SHANTI Act 2025 implementation
NITI Aayog held a July 10 consultation in New Delhi with eight named officials and three workstreams on implementing the SHANTI Act 2025.
The 5 nuclear stories that mattered this week
From AP1000 renewal to Chernobyl decommissioning, the week's five biggest nuclear stories all pointed at execution, not hype.
NRC lets Westinghouse seek AP1000 design certification renewal
The NRC says Westinghouse can seek renewal of the AP1000 design certification, keeping a reusable licensing path open for future reactors.
Core Analysis: The license path is the product now
The NRC's NEPA rewrite, Clinch River, and Poland's CfD request all point to the same shift: the licensing path is becoming part of the product.
NRC targets faster nuclear licensing with NEPA streamlining proposal
The NRC would narrow NEPA reviews to impacts it can regulate, add deadlines and page limits, and give applicants a faster review path.
NRC opens environmental review of Holtec's Palisades new-build
The NRC has begun the environmental review of Holtec's plan to site two SMR-300 reactors at Palisades, pushing the Michigan project deeper into licensing.
