Fusion industry leaders urged the Energy Department to commit billions in new funding for nuclear fusion projects to accelerate commercialization and keep the US competitive with China. "Now is the time for the US to make a significant investment, and that means over a billion dollars per year in annual appropriations and a one-time infrastructure investment," said Fusion Industry Association CEO Andrew Holland. Executives also endorsed the Trump administration's proposed Genesis Mission AI platform, arguing it would help translate experimental progress into deployable technologies.

Santee Cooper's board approved a sales agreement with Brookfield Asset Management that would eliminate $2.7 billion in nuclear construction debt from customer bills if the investment firm proceeds with acquiring the unfinished V.C. Summer reactors in South Carolina as part of a restart effort. The deal, contingent on feasibility studies and investment decisions, would let Santee Cooper keep an ownership stake of up to 25% and require Brookfield to hire local labor and reimburse the utility for costs tied to negotiations. Supporters say Brookfield's financial capacity offers the clearest path to reviving the abandoned project.

In a first, Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers demonstrated a new laser-based mass spectrometry method that can quickly identify the elemental and isotopic makeup of nuclear materials. The system uses one laser to ablate microscopic particles from a sample and another to ionize them for high-resolution mass analysis, enabling scientists to characterize material across much of the periodic table in less than 30 minutes. This breakthrough promises to speed up nuclear material investigations and may be adaptable for field deployment with further validation.

US Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited the Idaho National Laboratory as the final stop of his tour of all 17 national labs. During the visit, Wright highlighted Idaho's historical role in nuclear development and called INL "ground zero" for the nuclear renaissance. He met with lab officials, observed the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments, and discussed federal efforts to accelerate reactor development, including incentives and targeted grants for private companies.

Nuclear reactors play a critical role in maintaining grid reliability during peak demand seasons, such as summer and winter, by operating at high capacity factors -- around 90% in North America during 2024. Most reactor downtime is planned and scheduled for periods of lower electricity usage, ensuring that the fleet is available when needed most. Despite occasional unplanned outages from equipment failures or unexpected events, the nuclear fleet consistently delivers reliable electricity, a result of decades of operational experience and careful planning.

Nuclear power plant construction projects frequently face significant delays and cost overruns. On average, construction costs exceed initial estimates by 102.5%, and projects started between 2010 and 2020 were delivered three years late on average. High-profile examples, such as Hinkley Point C and Flamanville, illustrate how unexpected technical issues, such as design changes and equipment defects, can significantly inflate costs and push back completion dates. These overruns are further compounded by challenges in project management, risk allocation, and the unique contractual requirements of each project. .

Three years after the launch of ChatGPT, the AI industry is grappling with the reality of electricity demand, with some influential voices questioning the need for unlimited expansion of large language models. In this episode of the Open Circuit podcast, the team welcomes former FERC Commissioner Allison Clements, Dawn Owens of Fervo Energy and other guests to discuss the tension between the rapid iteration of AI and the long-term investment cycles of the power system.

A study by MIT researchers evaluates two approaches to expanding the US electricity grid to meet growing energy demand. One approach focuses on regions with abundant renewable energy, while the other emphasizes nationwide interconnections. The study, inspired by legislation such as the BIG WIRES Act, finds that the regional approach is less expensive and reduces emissions more effectively, but the national approach significantly enhances reliability, particularly during extreme weather events.