Report
Nuclear
Nuclear Notes
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Our position
Nuclear energy can deliver abundant, reliable, zero-carbon power. But the United States has lost the ability to build it quickly, repeatedly, and at scale. Now, rising electricity demand, growing public support, bipartisan political backing, and a once-in-a-generation overhaul of commercial nuclear regulation have created an enormous opportunity to deploy new reactors. Building a nuclear-powered world will require financeable projects, a regulator that can license safely, on time, and at scale, a nuclear community willing to move beyond the status quo, and an industry capable of turning today’s momentum into sustained deployment.
Data and tools
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Tool
NRC Rulemaking Tracker
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Tool
Mapping America's Nuclear Potential
Evaluating Deployment, Investment, and Impact in America's Clean Energy Future
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Tool
Guide to NRC Application Data Requirements for State Implementers
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Three pieces the team says to read first
Nuclear work
Research, analysis and everything we have put on the record: comments, testimony, statements, letters and endorsements.
Showing 19–24 of 285
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Regulatory comment
Modern Rules for Everyday Radioactive Materials
The NRC should finalize reforms that improve access to useful radioactive materials while maintaining a clear federal role in special nuclear material security.
· PJ Seel
Regulatory comment
The Fusion Framework: Foundational, Not Final
Placing fusion machines in the Part 30 byproduct material framework is the most sensible near-term solution
· PJ Seel
Regulatory comment
Right-Sizing Nuclear Materials Security
Burden reduction for physical protection should not reduce operational awareness for either licensee or local-law enforcement
· PJ Seel
Regulatory comment
Allowing Foreign Ownership of Nuclear Generation Is a Net Positive
Now, a methodology for determining national security risk is the gateway for foreign ownership determinations
· PJ Seel
Analysis
Shared Data, Independent Review
NRC should preserve independent safety review while using DOE/DOW data and information to support more efficient licensing
· Yue "Joy" Jiang, Spencer Toohill
Regulatory comment
Part 57 Should Be Built for High-Volume Licensing
A high-volume licensing pathway is faster when it is more focused, not less rigorous
· Adam Stein, Spencer Toohill, Deric Tilson
19–24 of 285
Who to talk to
Adam Stein
Director, Nuclear Energy Innovation Email
Latest: NRC Issues Construction Permit for X-energy's Advanced Reactor Project in Texas
Spencer Toohill
Chief of Staff for Nuclear Energy Innovation Email
Latest: Making Practicability the Standard for Uranium Groundwater Restoration
Questions
Should we just build as many large reactors as possible?
Where large reactors make sense, we should build them. But the future nuclear fleet will likely include a mix of large reactors, small reactors, and advanced designs suited to different customers, sites, and markets.
Do we have a solution to deal with nuclear waste?
Yes. Spent nuclear fuel can be stored safely today, and deep geologic disposal is a well-understood long-term solution. Several countries recycle spent fuel. The U.S. problem is primarily one of policy and implementation, not a lack of technical options.
Isn’t nuclear too expensive compared with wind and solar?
While the upfront costs of new nuclear generation are higher than wind and solar, nuclear reactors operate for decades, providing continuous baseload power and reducing the long-term system costs and consumer bills.
Is nuclear power safe?
Yes. In fact nuclear energy is the safest energy source. Its record reflects both the rarity of serious accidents and the extraordinarily small health impacts of producing nuclear electricity compared with other major energy sources.