News Reactor | June 2026

News Reactor | June 2026

NewsletterThe News Reactor

Top News

Antares Microreactor Reaches Crucial Milestone

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that a small nuclear reactor under development at the Idaho National Laboratory reached a crucial milestone. The microreactor reached criticality, achieving a self-sustaining chain reactor capable of producing a steady release of energy. Antares Nuclear Inc. is the first private company to bring a reactor to criticality under DOE's Reactor Pilot Program and is expected to be the first of multiple advanced reactors to reach criticality by the July 4 deadline set by President Trump. Though the reactor is still years away from commercial use, reaching criticality is seen as an important step in proving the technology can operate safely and establish a basis for subsequent reactors. Antares is initially targeting military applications and said it expects to begin producing electricity by 2027 and its systems deployed by 2028.

Policy News

North Carolina Advances Data Center Development, New Nuclear Plant Bill

The North Carolina House of Representatives has passed an updated version of Senate Bill 730 which places guardrails around data center development in North Carolina and would additionally require Duke Energy to obtain permission to build a new nuclear power plant before retiring coal or gas plants. Along with the bill's data center provisions it would require Duke to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a nuclear power plant with at least 1,000 MW of capacity prior to the retirement of any operating coal or natural gas plants. Previously, the bill could've been understood as requiring Duke to build a new nuclear power plant for any coal or gas plant it wanted to replace and instead clarifies they must only build one. Duke has stated its quickest route forward would be to build at currently operating nuclear power plants, but that this would still require significant amendments to previous federal licensing.

Nebraska Study Reveals Best Locations for SMR Deployment

A recently released study has identified four locations in Nebraska as best suited for future small modular reactor (SMR) deployment. The study used the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) criteria for siting nuclear power plants and identified the four sites as the highest ranked based on current infrastructure and siting criteria. The Nebraska Legislature allocated $1 million to the study in 2023 to assess feasibility of siting throughout the state. The study was conducted on behalf of the Nebraska Public Power District which operates the Cooper Nuclear Power Plant, the only operating nuclear power plant in Nebraska.

Minnesota Passes Bill Funding Nuclear Feasibility Study

The Minnesota Legislature passed a new funding bill on the last day of its legislative session appropriating $500,000 for the Minnesota Department of Commerce to study the possibility of building new nuclear power plants in the state. House File 4703 provides that the Department of Commerce study adorability, reliability, reducing the states' carbon footprint and other impacts from constructing new nuclear power plants in the state. The bill comes as part of an end-of-legislative-session package and is believed by its supporters to be the first step to removing the state's moratorium on new nuclear power plants.

State legislation updates

Arizona SB 1418 (Pending Concurrence) Amends statutes governing county land use regulations and the power plant and transmission line siting process. Counties with fewer than 500,000 people may not restrict SMRs colocated with an extra high load factor customer, would include SMRs and nonthermal electric generating units in the definition of power plant, and would permit utilities to construct SMRs colocated with extra high load factor customers without a certificate of environmental compatibility in counties with under 500,000 people.

California AB 2647 (Pending) would require the State Energy Resource Conservation and Development Commission to prepare a comprehensive assessment of the potential role of advanced nuclear technologies in supporting critical infrastructure in California. The assessment must examine new in-state nuclear power plants and how they can cost-effectively meet energy needs and support California's goal of 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045.

Iowa HB 2757 (Enacted) creates a new sale and use tax exemption for tangible personal property, digital products and services sold to nuclear electric generating facilities and establishes a nuclear energy workforce fund to support workforce programs within institutions of higher education.

New Hampshire HB 221 (Vetoed) would require the coordinator of nuclear development and regulatory activities to manage funding and oversight of nuclear incentive programs and conduct outreach to educate the public on nuclear safety.

Ohio HB 862 (In committee) would remove the prohibition on electric distribution facilities from constructing, owning and operating nuclear generating facilities, would require the Ohio Nuclear Development Authority to appoint a State Nuclear Coordinator and create expedited review processes for nuclear generating facility applications that meet specific criteria including federal or state support on brownfields or former coal mines.

Stay up to date on these bills and more with NCSL's 50-state bill tracking database. Filter by topics like nuclear, renewable energy, workforce, and more.

Nuclear Power Plants and Infrastructure

NRC Clears Long Mott's Environmental Review in Under a Year

The NRC has completed another milestone by completing the environmental assessment and issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact in under a year for the Long Mott Generating Station in Texas. The issuing marks the first time the NRC has completed its National Environmental Policy Act review in under a year. The review was completed under the EA pathway rather than a full environmental impact statement in a Part 50 construction permit proceeding. The application covers a four-module 320 MW Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor facility. The NRC will look to complete its final safety evaluation by November 2026 to issue a final construction permit. X-Energy has also stated that once issued the final construction permit, they plan to move ahead with site preparation activities while concurrently working to obtain a separate operating license from the NRC.

Constellation's Three Mile Island Nuclear Restart Receives FERC Waiver

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a waiver request by Constellation from PJM Interconnection rules for its restart of the Crane nuclear power plant, formerly Three Mile Island Unit 1. Under the waiver, Constellation will be able to transfer 760 MW of Capacity Interconnection Rights (CIRs) from its Eddystone power plant near Philadelphia to the Crane unit increasing the amount of electricity the nuclear unit can deliver. The FERC determined upgrades would be needed to safely deliver all of the Crane unit's power to the grid including 765-kV and 500-kV transmission projects. The projects could have prevented the unit from delivering full power until 2030. The FERC determined that the transfer of the CIRs could increase Crane's interim deliverability and enable the unit to be fully operational before Dec. 31, 2030.

Materials, Nuclear Fuel, and Used Nuclear Fuel

Urenco Announces LEU Expansion at New Mexico Plant

Urenco USA has announced that it will expand its low-enriched uranium (LEU) capacity at its National Enrichment Facility in New Mexico. The company operates the only U.S. commercial-scale uranium enrichment facility and is planning to expand operations at its site by nearly 50% with construction of the new expansion expected to begin construction by 2029 and operations expected to commence in 2032. Urenco will be constructing a new enrichment plant that will add 2.1 million separative work units of new enrichment capacity to its existing. As part of this expansion, it will install up to 24 gas centrifuges with additional installations expected in 2036. Additionally, Urenco's New Mexico site is licensed for up to 10 million separative work units of capacity by the NRC.

DOE Pushes for Faster Treatment of Hanford Waste by Grouting

The U.S. Department of Energy has stated it can speed up the treatment of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford nuclear site through making better use of a pretreatment system. Using the Tank-Side Cesium Removal System DOE would be able to turn the pretreated radioactive waste into a grout similar to concrete for disposal out of state. The DOE would continue to turn the rest of the pretreated waste into a stable glass form at a vitrification plant at Hanford in tandem with the TSCR process. Handford currently stores 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous chemical waste in underground single-shell tanks that are more prone to leaking. Since starting to treat the waste through vitrification in October 2025, 115,000 gallons of waste has been converted to glass with a legal deadline of 170,000 gallons of waste a month by October 2028. The DOE believes an expansion of the TSCR process would have it preparing 300,000 gallons of waste per month for vitrification.

Cener for Used Fuel Research Selects Two Technologies for Demonstration of Automated used Nuclear Fuel Canister Monitoring

The U.S. Department of Energy's Center for Used Fuel Research has selected two technologies to demonstrate acoustic emission technologies for automated monitoring of spent nuclear fuel dry storage canisters. Guidewave and Sensible Photonics were selected to advance to the final phase of a selection process to demonstrate their technology. Under NRC regulations, nuclear utilities are required to maintain aging management programs for spent fuel storage. These selections will help address a critical industry need for monitoring by using automated processes to streamline aging management activities and reduce operational burdens for spent fuel management. Both companies will proceed to pre-demonstration testing with dry storage casks that do not contain used nuclear fuel but are equipped with electric heaters to simulate similar heat loads and environmental conditions.

Operations and Partnerships

Day and Zimmerman, Deep Fission Announce Partnership to Build SMR

U.S. companies developing small modular reactors continue to create partnerships aiming to more effectively and efficiently develop their technologies. Engineering firm Day and Zimmerman and Deep Fission have announced a partnership in which Day and Zimmerman will oversee pre-construction planning and above-ground construction for Deep Fission's Gravity reactor. Deep Fission has designed its Gravity reactor to be placed underground in an optimized borehole one mile deep using pressurized water reactor technology. Using low-enriched uranium each reactor will produce 15 MW, with 10 reactors on the same site being able to produce 150 MW. The partnership will bring Day and Zimmerman's 40 years of expertise in the nuclear industry to Deep Fission's project. Deep Fission has broken ground in Kansas for its pilot project and plans to build a full-scale commercial plant following their demonstration.

Nuclear Power Startup Newcleo to Go Public in SPAC Deal

Nuclear power developer Newcleo has announced that it plans to go public through a merger the blank-check company NewHold Investment Corp III in a deal valued at $2.4 billion. The merger is expected to close in the second half of 2026. The merger continues aa trend of nuclear developers leveraging public listings to aid in funding complex projects. Recently, Oklo , NuScale Power and X-Energy have followed similar arrangements while going public as well. Newcleo stated that its desire to complete a SPAC merger was driven by its desire for speed in establishing more of a U.S. presence as it aims to have a fuel factory operational in the U.S. by 2031 and a commercial reactor by 2032. In March, Newcleo started its discussions with the NRC for these facilities.

Initiatives, Announcements, and Funding Opportunities

Hochul Opens Funding and Requests for New Nuclear in New York

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul took two steps toward deploying new commercial nuclear reactors announcing solicitations for workforce training and for a developer to start construction of at least one new reactor by 2032. The New York Power Authority will spend up to $40 million developing workforce training programs for the nuclear workforce. This will include all types of workers needed, including welders, pipefitters, engineers, radiation protection technicians, etc. The power authority is soliciting applications from state colleges, trade unions, community-based organizations and others interested in providing the training. Furthermore, the NYPA is also soliciting requests for qualifications in building a 1 GW nuclear power plant with construction starting no later than 2032 to qualify for federal tax credits. The request for qualifications follows a request for information last year in which 23 parties responded to New York's request, and would play a role in meeting Hochul's goal of adding 5 GW of nuclear power to the state's grid.

DOE Selects Companies for $94M in Light Water SMR Deployment

The U.S. Department of Energy will split $94 million among eight companies in cost-sharing funding for the near-term deployment of small light water modular reactors. The funding will be used to bolster Gen III+ SMR deployments by addressing gaps that have slowed or hindered deployment including licensing, supply chain and site preparation. Two companies were selcted for site preparation and selection purposes including $17.3 million to Constellation SMR Development LLC to pursue an early site permit and $27.9 million to the Nebraska Public Power District for an early site permit. The six other companies received funding for supply chain purposes including $21.4 million to BWXT Nuclear Energy Inc, $547,900 to Container Technologies Industries LLC, $8.8 million to Framatome U.S. Government Solutions LLC, $3 million to Global Nuclear Fuel Americas, $2.9 million to North American Foragemasters Company and $12.3 million to Scot Forge Company.

DOE Selects Five Companies to Negotiate Receipt of Surplus U.S. Plutonium

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five companies to begin advanced negotiations over access to the department's Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program. The five companies include Oklo, Exodys Energy, SHINE, Standard Nuclear and Flibe Energy. The program seeks to turn old, unexploded warheads from the Cold War into fuel for the next generation of nuclear reactors. It would take 20 metric tons of DOE-owned plutonium materials for recycling, repurposing, and manufacturing into nuclear fuel for advanced reactors. Companies have seen the use of plutonium stockpiles as a critical ingredient to getting next-generation reactors fueled quickly while domestic enrichment capabilities scale up. President Trump's Executive Order 14302 ordered the DOE to halt a previous directive under the Biden administration to "dilute and dispose" of surplus plutonium and to reprocess it and make it available to industry to be used for the fabrication of fuel. DOE has stated it has about 61.5 MT of weapons-grade plutonium for surplus to national security needs.

Other News

Taiwanese Nuclear Power Plants Prepared for Drone Attacks

Taiwan's Nuclear Safety Commission informed the country's Education and Culture Committee that its nuclear safety plan includes response measures for drone attacks like the ones that led to a recent fire at a United Arab Emirates nuclear power plant. The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was struck by a drone attack in mid-May sparking a fire at the plant although there were no reports of injuries or radiological release. Following the fire at the Barakah plant Taiwan's commission informed lawmakers each nuclear power plant conducts nuclear safety and counterterrorism drills with drone-responses incorporated into security measures. Nuclear plants prepared for drone attacks, official says - Taipei Times