Energy

OFAC Publishes Iran Oil General Licenses X and X1

1 min read5 days ago

The licenses govern U.S. transactions involving Iranian crude oil and petroleum products through July 17, 2026.

Energy

DOE Issues RFP for Up to 40 Million-Barrel SPR Exchange

1 min read6 days ago

Oil companies can bid by Oct. 6, 2026 for the exchange that will deliver barrels in Nov-Dec 2026

Energy

GAO tells NRC to finish staffing tool and add performance metrics

1 min readSeptember 28, 2026

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must complete its NEXUS workforce planning tool by the first quarter of FY2027 and adopt metrics to assess the ADVANCE Act hiring authorities.

Energy

G20 Energy Ministers Endorse Clean Cooking and Infrastructure Commitments in Houston

1 min readSeptember 25, 2026

G20 member nations and participating agencies are bound by the Houston agreements starting September 14, 2026.

Energy

DOE allocates $5.25 B for 31 grid upgrades in 26 states

1 min readSeptember 24, 2026

The funding, announced today, will support 31 transmission projects across 26 states, affecting roughly 100 million Americans.

Energy

DOE Allocates $99 Million to 21 Geothermal Development Projects

1 min readSeptember 21, 2026

Funding applies to 21 selected projects conducting field-scale geothermal tests and exploration drilling, effective upon award negotiations.

Energy

CISA republishes advisory on Hitachi Energy FACTS Control Platform vulnerabilities

1 min readSeptember 17, 2026

Organizations using FCP versions with GWS component from 2020 onward must address nine critical CVEs effective immediately

Energy

OFAC Publishes Revised Venezuela Sanctions General Licenses 50A and 51A

2 min readSeptember 11, 2026

Entities conducting oil, gas or mineral transactions with Venezuela must comply with the new GL 50A (effective Feb 18 2026) and GL 51A (effective Mar 27 2026).

Energy

DOE awards $73 million for domestic mining testbeds

1 min readSeptember 9, 2026

Four universities and a private firm will receive funding to build mining technology proving grounds, effective upon award negotiations.

Energy

DOE closes $1.9 billion loan to restart Iowa nuclear plant

1 min readSeptember 8, 2026

NextEra Energy receives up to $1.9 billion from DOE's EDF to bring Duane Arnold back online, effective today

Energy

DOE closes $1.9 billion loan to restart Iowa nuclear plant

1 min readSeptember 8, 2026

NextEra Energy receives up to $1.9 billion from DOE's EDF to bring Duane Arnold back online, effective today

Energy

IRS publishes 2026 inflation factor and credit amounts for clean electricity

1 min readSeptember 4, 2026

Taxpayers claiming the Section 45Y clean electricity production credit must use a 2.0570 inflation factor and apply 0.6 ¢ or 3.1 ¢ per kWh for electricity sold, consumed or stored in calendar year 2026.

Energy

DOE releases 2026 Energy Employment Report showing job gains

1 min readSeptember 4, 2026

The 2026 report details sector-wide hiring, higher median wages and rising apprenticeship enrollments for U.S. energy workers.

Cybersecurity

CISA alerts on Schneider Electric vulnerability CVE-2026-4827

1 min readSeptember 3, 2026

Owners of Schneider Electric Easergy, EcoStruxure, PowerLogic and Saitel devices must apply the supplied patch immediately to prevent session hijacking.

Energy

DOE Orders Midwest Coal Plant to Remain Operational

1 min readSeptember 2, 2026

The order binds MISO and Consumers Energy to keep the 1,420-MW J.H. Campbell plant running from Aug. 17 to Nov. 14, 2026.

Energy

DOE Emergency Order Keeps 1,420-MW Michigan Coal Plant Online

1 min readAugust 31, 2026

Midwest power users must rely on the Campbell Plant from Aug. 17 to Nov. 14, 2026

Energy

President Trump declares national emergency over foreign bulk-power equipment

1 min readAugust 29, 2026

The order bars any U.S. acquisition or installation of foreign-produced bulk-power system electric equipment after Aug. 26, 2026.

Energy

DOE emergency order keeps Michigan coal plant online through November

1 min readAugust 28, 2026

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright directs MISO and Consumers Energy to operate the 1,420-MW Campbell Plant from Aug. 17 to Nov. 14, 2026

Energy

DOE Emergency Order Extends Operation of Michigan Coal Plant

1 min readAugust 26, 2026

Midwest grid operators and consumers must keep the 1,420-MW Campbell coal plant online from Aug. 17 to Nov. 14, 2026.

Oversight

GAO urges DOE to define and standardize contractor assurance system evaluations

1 min readAugust 26, 2026

DOE's Office of Environmental Management must set measurable criteria for contractor assurance systems, per GAO recommendations released in GAO-26-107850.

Elsewhere

What other outlets are reporting on this beat. We link out; we do not republish.

Sustaining communities
Where else could you find this kind of energy? At the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) our power comes from our people. Hardworking Americans who oversee the safe use of nuclear technology that powers communities, revolutionizes medicine, and empowers America. Learn More The theme of this month’s issue of Nuclear News is plant maintenance, highlighting the teams that keep our operating fleet in good working order. As this month’s features make clear, plant maintenance is anything but simple. It may not produce the flashiest milestones or attract the most public attention, but it is what makes those milestones possible.The same principle applies beyond pipes, pumps, and valves. Physical systems endure because we give them sustained attention and investment; our professional communities require the same. They are where the connections that strengthen the nuclear field are sustained over time.I was reminded of that this month when I had the privilege of visiting and speaking with the Virginia Section of the American Nuclear Society as it marked a remarkable milestone: 70 years since its founding.Much has changed in the nuclear industry since 1956. Technologies have advanced, and the policy environment has changed repeatedly. Generations of professionals have entered the field, built careers, solved new problems, and passed their knowledge to those who followed.Yet through all these changes, organizations like ANS-Virginia have provided an important source of continuity. They bring together people across institutions, disciplines, and generations around a shared commitment to nuclear science and technology. In doing so, they help preserve professional relationships, institutional knowledge, and the connections that allow the field to adapt and move forward.I made the most of my time in Virginia by visiting several other key nuclear institutions in the state. These included Framatome’s headquarters, where the team is hard at work supporting the nuclear energy enterpri
Nuclear Newswire 2 hours ago
Sustaining communities
Where else could you find this kind of energy? At the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) our power comes from our people. Hardworking Americans who oversee the safe use of nuclear technology that powers communities, revolutionizes medicine, and empowers America. Learn More The theme of this month’s issue of Nuclear News is plant maintenance, highlighting the teams that keep our operating fleet in good working order. As this month’s features make clear, plant maintenance is anything but simple. It may not produce the flashiest milestones or attract the most public attention, but it is what makes those milestones possible.The same principle applies beyond pipes, pumps, and valves. Physical systems endure because we give them sustained attention and investment; our professional communities require the same. They are where the connections that strengthen the nuclear field are sustained over time.I was reminded of that this month when I had the privilege of visiting and speaking with the Virginia Section of the American Nuclear Society as it marked a remarkable milestone: 70 years since its founding.Much has changed in the nuclear industry since 1956. Technologies have advanced, and the policy environment has changed repeatedly. Generations of professionals have entered the field, built careers, solved new problems, and passed their knowledge to those who followed.Yet through all these changes, organizations like ANS-Virginia have provided an important source of continuity. They bring together people across institutions, disciplines, and generations around a shared commitment to nuclear science and technology. In doing so, they help preserve professional relationships, institutional knowledge, and the connections that allow the field to adapt and move forward.I made the most of my time in Virginia by visiting several other key nuclear institutions in the state. These included Framatome’s headquarters, where the team is hard at work supporting the nuclear energy enterpri
Nuclear Newswire 2 hours ago
Incident pauses Palisades fuel loading; plant connected to switchyard
During the fuel-loading activities, one previously used fuel assembly tilted from its upright position after it had been placed in the vessel. According to Holtec, the fuel-handling machine grapple was disengaged at this point. Staff notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission but determined that the incident did not trigger safety reporting requirements under NRC regulations.A root cause evaluation was initiated to determine the cause of the incident and identify corrective actions, according to Holtec, and engineers are developing equipment to retrieve the fuel assembly, with plans to return it to the spent fuel pool. Palisades will submit a license amendment request to the NRC related to the retrieval operation.Holtec spokesman Patrick O’Brien did not provide additional details to Nuclear News on the incident and its impact on the restart. Previous reports have said Holtec is contracted to start supplying power by March 2027.Additional updates: Restart activities that are independent of fuel loading are continuing, Holtec said. However, progression to the cold shutdown phase (Mode 5) and other operating modes is subject to resolving the fuel assembly incident, completing required testing and modifications, and receiving applicable NRC approvals. Holtec expects the plant to transition to the cold shutdown phase once fuel loading is completed and the reactor vessel is reassembled.“Teams are continuing work to establish the plant conditions necessary to support progression through subsequent operating modes, including completing required modifications and testing to verify that plant cooling, electrical, protection, and other systems are ready to perform as designed,” Holtec said.Palisades hit a milestone on September 11 when workers reconnected it to the 345-kV switchyard. Restoration work was conducted in coordination with transmission system operator ITC.“The switchyard will ultimately provide the path for electricity generated by Palisades to reach the transmissi
Nuclear Newswire September 25, 2026
Incident pauses Palisades fuel loading; plant connected to switchyard
During the fuel-loading activities, one previously used fuel assembly tilted from its upright position after it had been placed in the vessel. According to Holtec, the fuel-handling machine grapple was disengaged at this point. Staff notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission but determined that the incident did not trigger safety reporting requirements under NRC regulations.A root cause evaluation was initiated to determine the cause of the incident and identify corrective actions, according to Holtec, and engineers are developing equipment to retrieve the fuel assembly, with plans to return it to the spent fuel pool. Palisades will submit a license amendment request to the NRC related to the retrieval operation.Holtec spokesman Patrick O’Brien did not provide additional details to Nuclear News on the incident and its impact on the restart. Previous reports have said Holtec is contracted to start supplying power by March 2027.Additional updates: Restart activities that are independent of fuel loading are continuing, Holtec said. However, progression to the cold shutdown phase (Mode 5) and other operating modes is subject to resolving the fuel assembly incident, completing required testing and modifications, and receiving applicable NRC approvals. Holtec expects the plant to transition to the cold shutdown phase once fuel loading is completed and the reactor vessel is reassembled.“Teams are continuing work to establish the plant conditions necessary to support progression through subsequent operating modes, including completing required modifications and testing to verify that plant cooling, electrical, protection, and other systems are ready to perform as designed,” Holtec said.Palisades hit a milestone on September 11 when workers reconnected it to the 345-kV switchyard. Restoration work was conducted in coordination with transmission system operator ITC.“The switchyard will ultimately provide the path for electricity generated by Palisades to reach the transmissi
Nuclear Newswire September 25, 2026
Kairos and Samsung C&T partner up on Hermes 2
The background: Hermes 2 will be the second unit deployed by Kairos on its path to demonstrate its KP-FHR (that is, Kairos Power fluoride salt–cooled, high-temperature reactor) technology. The company envisions the commercial design as a 150-MWe plant containing two 75-MWe reactor units fueled with 19.75 percent HALEU. (If HALEU proves hard to obtain, the design can operate with lower-enriched LEU+, Kairos has said.)In December 2023, the company received a Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit for its first demonstration reactor project, called Hermes. This milestone represented the first construction approval for a non–light water reactor in the United States in more than 50 years. Kairos broke ground on the 35-MWt project at the Heritage Industrial Park in Oak Ridge, Tenn., in July 2024, and is aiming to have Hermes on line in 2028.Hermes 2, meanwhile, is planned as Kairos’s first power-producing plant. Originally envisioned as a plant featuring two 35-MWt reactors, Hermes 2 is now planned to include a single 50-MWe unit. The company received a construction permit from the NRC for the project in November 2024 and broke ground in the East Tennessee Technology Park (also in Oak Ridge) in April 2026.Like its predecessor, Hermes 2 also claims a significant milestone of its own: it is the first Gen IV reactor to be involved in a power purchase agreement with a U.S. utility. That agreement, entered into in August 2025, involves the Tennessee Valley Authority and Google.As for fuel, Kairos has a contract with the Department of Energy to receive HALEU for the first Hermes reactor and is working with BWX Technologies on a potential TRISO HALEU supply for Hermes 2.Back to today: Speaking on Samsung C&T joining up on the Hermes project, Ed Blandford, Kairos’s chief technology officer, said, “Our integrated EPC team brings together the complementary technology, engineering, manufacturing, and project-delivery capabilities needed to advance Hermes 2 and establish a
Nuclear Newswire September 24, 2026
Kairos and Samsung C&T partner up on Hermes 2
The background: Hermes 2 will be the second unit deployed by Kairos on its path to demonstrate its KP-FHR (that is, Kairos Power fluoride salt–cooled, high-temperature reactor) technology. The company envisions the commercial design as a 150-MWe plant containing two 75-MWe reactor units fueled with 19.75 percent HALEU. (If HALEU proves hard to obtain, the design can operate with lower-enriched LEU+, Kairos has said.)In December 2023, the company received a Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit for its first demonstration reactor project, called Hermes. This milestone represented the first construction approval for a non–light water reactor in the United States in more than 50 years. Kairos broke ground on the 35-MWt project at the Heritage Industrial Park in Oak Ridge, Tenn., in July 2024, and is aiming to have Hermes on line in 2028.Hermes 2, meanwhile, is planned as Kairos’s first power-producing plant. Originally envisioned as a plant featuring two 35-MWt reactors, Hermes 2 is now planned to include a single 50-MWe unit. The company received a construction permit from the NRC for the project in November 2024 and broke ground in the East Tennessee Technology Park (also in Oak Ridge) in April 2026.Like its predecessor, Hermes 2 also claims a significant milestone of its own: it is the first Gen IV reactor to be involved in a power purchase agreement with a U.S. utility. That agreement, entered into in August 2025, involves the Tennessee Valley Authority and Google.As for fuel, Kairos has a contract with the Department of Energy to receive HALEU for the first Hermes reactor and is working with BWX Technologies on a potential TRISO HALEU supply for Hermes 2.Back to today: Speaking on Samsung C&T joining up on the Hermes project, Ed Blandford, Kairos’s chief technology officer, said, “Our integrated EPC team brings together the complementary technology, engineering, manufacturing, and project-delivery capabilities needed to advance Hermes 2 and establish a
Nuclear Newswire September 24, 2026
Google, Georgia Power announce partnership to uprate plants
According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s list of expected uprate applications, the NRC expects Georgia Power—a subsidiary of Southern Company—to submit applications for power uprates at Hatch-1 and -2 in the second quarter of 2027 and for Vogtle-1 and -2 in the last quarter of 2028.Georgia Power’s extended power uprates would increase the reactors’ power generating capacity through targeted upgrades and improvements to turbines, pumps, motors, and cooling systems.“Many of our large customers have specific clean-energy goals, and we continue to work with the Georgia PSC to create programs that not only help them meet their goals but align with our Customer Protection Pledge, enhancing the reliability and resiliency of the power grid and creating savings for all customers,” said Aaron Mitchell, Georgia Power’s senior vice president of strategic growth . “We appreciate Google’s continued leadership in this space and partnership in developing this program, which we see as the latest example of how large-load growth can benefit all electric customers.”According to Georgia Power, Hatch and Vogtle provide more than one-quarter of the state’s energy mix. Currently, Hatch-1 and -2 have a combined power generating capacity of 1,793 MWe, while Vogtle-1 and -2 have a combined generating capacity of 2,338 MWe. This uprate would not impact Vogtle-3 and -4, the two newest AP1000s, which connected to the grid in 2023 and 2024.Google’s involvement: Along with the extended power uprate request, Georgia Power submitted the nuclear uprate (NU-1) tariff structure and the zero-emissions credit subscription agreement with Google to the Georgia PSC. That agreement, however, was completely redacted.Georgia Power now has shared that Google’s involvement is part of a subscription-based program. The tech company will subscribe to the new NU-1 tariff and receive zero-emission credits associated with the power ultimately generated by the upgraded units. According to the utility, this app
Nuclear Newswire September 23, 2026
Google, Georgia Power announce partnership to uprate plants
According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s list of expected uprate applications, the NRC expects Georgia Power—a subsidiary of Southern Company—to submit applications for power uprates at Hatch-1 and -2 in the second quarter of 2027 and for Vogtle-1 and -2 in the last quarter of 2028.Georgia Power’s extended power uprates would increase the reactors’ power generating capacity through targeted upgrades and improvements to turbines, pumps, motors, and cooling systems.“Many of our large customers have specific clean-energy goals, and we continue to work with the Georgia PSC to create programs that not only help them meet their goals but align with our Customer Protection Pledge, enhancing the reliability and resiliency of the power grid and creating savings for all customers,” said Aaron Mitchell, Georgia Power’s senior vice president of strategic growth . “We appreciate Google’s continued leadership in this space and partnership in developing this program, which we see as the latest example of how large-load growth can benefit all electric customers.”According to Georgia Power, Hatch and Vogtle provide more than one-quarter of the state’s energy mix. Currently, Hatch-1 and -2 have a combined power generating capacity of 1,793 MWe, while Vogtle-1 and -2 have a combined generating capacity of 2,338 MWe. This uprate would not impact Vogtle-3 and -4, the two newest AP1000s, which connected to the grid in 2023 and 2024.Google’s involvement: Along with the extended power uprate request, Georgia Power submitted the nuclear uprate (NU-1) tariff structure and the zero-emissions credit subscription agreement with Google to the Georgia PSC. That agreement, however, was completely redacted.Georgia Power now has shared that Google’s involvement is part of a subscription-based program. The tech company will subscribe to the new NU-1 tariff and receive zero-emission credits associated with the power ultimately generated by the upgraded units. According to the utility, this app
Nuclear Newswire September 23, 2026

Newsletter

What the federal government did today, and what it changes - with the document behind every item.

SEC and Global Regulators Issue Joint Bulletin for World Investor Week

GAO Finds Vertically Integrated Medicare Part D Sponsors Use Own Pharmacies for 24% of Prescriptions

Commerce urged to formalize oversight of concrete masonry checkoff program

Federal Reserve publishes change-in-control notice for Shnaider Family Trust acquisition

Energy

OFAC Publishes Iran Oil General Licenses X and X1

DOE Issues RFP for Up to 40 Million-Barrel SPR Exchange

GAO tells NRC to finish staffing tool and add performance metrics

G20 Energy Ministers Endorse Clean Cooking and Infrastructure Commitments in Houston

DOE allocates $5.25 B for 31 grid upgrades in 26 states

DOE Allocates $99 Million to 21 Geothermal Development Projects

CISA republishes advisory on Hitachi Energy FACTS Control Platform vulnerabilities

OFAC Publishes Revised Venezuela Sanctions General Licenses 50A and 51A

DOE awards $73 million for domestic mining testbeds

DOE closes $1.9 billion loan to restart Iowa nuclear plant

DOE closes $1.9 billion loan to restart Iowa nuclear plant

IRS publishes 2026 inflation factor and credit amounts for clean electricity

DOE releases 2026 Energy Employment Report showing job gains

CISA alerts on Schneider Electric vulnerability CVE-2026-4827

DOE Orders Midwest Coal Plant to Remain Operational

DOE Emergency Order Keeps 1,420-MW Michigan Coal Plant Online

President Trump declares national emergency over foreign bulk-power equipment

DOE emergency order keeps Michigan coal plant online through November

DOE Emergency Order Extends Operation of Michigan Coal Plant

GAO urges DOE to define and standardize contractor assurance system evaluations