Podcast - Hot Topics in Nuclear Waste
Hogan Lovells' Mary Anne Sullivan on the floor of Hogan Lovells Global Energy Summit
As the United States faces escalating energy demands amid advancing resource-intensive technology and aging infrastructure, nuclear power has rematerialized as a central pillar of national and state-level energy strategies....more
Throughout 2025, several US states have taken steps to facilitate development of new nuclear reactors. Complementing several recent executive orders of the US administration in support of nuclear energy, including plans to...more
In just over one year since its passing, the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act has begun to unlock new opportunities for advanced nuclear energy projects, streamline...more
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) issued a Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) on July 28, 2025, directing NRC staff to proceed with rulemaking to implement the National Environmental Policy Act...more
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled its Reactor Pilot Program – also known as the 10 Reactor Fleet Program – in reaction to one of the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders directed at nuclear energy. Section 5 of Executive...more
The Commission recently issued a Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) directing NRC Staff to revise the NRC’s National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) regulations at 10 CFR Part 51 and update related NRC guidance and...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued a direct final rule extending the duration of design certifications (DCs) for nuclear reactors from 15 to 40 years. The rule will automatically go into effect on...more
On May 23, 2025, President Trump issued four executive orders regarding the development of nuclear energy. These orders encompass reforms to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) nuclear reactor testing, accelerated deployment of...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued a final rule amending the licensing, inspection, special project, and annual fees for applicants and licensees for FY 2025, aligning with fee-related provisions in...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff recently submitted recommendations and planned actions to the Commission aimed at enhancing elements of the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) consistent with the Accelerating...more
On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court, in NRC v. Texas, issued an opinion holding that the State of Texas did not have standing to challenge a license granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to a private entity,...more
On June 18, 2025 the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued a Request for Application (“RFA”) for a Reactor Pilot Program to construct and operate advanced nuclear reactors outside of the National Laboratories. This program is...more
As the nuclear energy sector enters a period of renewed growth, companies face a complex array of legal, regulatory, and operational challenges. From liability frameworks governing radiation exposure to evolving enforcement...more
In Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas, a 6-3 decision authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Interim Storage Partners, LLC (ISP) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The case...more
The U.S. Supreme Court on June 18, 2025, decided Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas, 605 U.S. ___ (2025), which involved challenges to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC or Commission) decision to grant a...more
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its opinion in NRC v. Texas to resolve a circuit split over the storage of spent nuclear fuel between the Tenth Circuit, D.C. Circuit, and Fifth...more
As the U.S. faces surging electricity demand from AI data centers, infrastructure upgrades and decarbonization goals, nuclear energy is re-emerging as a viable clean power source. Central to this 2025 revival is the U.S....more
Welcome to Dorsey’s Energy Law: Month in Review. We provide this update to our clients to identify significant developments in the previous month. Please reach out to any of the authors, listed above, to discuss these issues....more
The clean energy transition isn’t a zero-sum game – it’s a team effort. And one player is stepping back into the spotlight with renewed strength: nuclear energy. With the President’s signing of four new Executive Orders on...more
On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four Executive Orders intended to expedite the development and deployment of American nuclear technology. The orders would affect the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”), the...more
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders (EOs) on May 23, 2025, related to nuclear energy—three of which seek to expedite approval processes for permitting new nuclear reactors. The EOs collectively aim to harness...more
In our earlier post, “Recent Federal Developments For Advanced Nuclear Technologies,” we reported on the new administration’s strong support for nuclear energy, as demonstrated by President Trump’s first-day executive order...more
Trump's EOs Intend to Spur U.S. Nuclear Revival - On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four Executive Orders (“the EOs”) intended to spur a nuclear industry revival in the U.S. through a revamped and streamlined...more
On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four new executive orders (the Orders) to “usher in a nuclear energy renaissance.” In an article, the White House explained that the Orders provide “a path forward for nuclear...more
The four orders address nearly all aspects of the federal government’s civilian nuclear apparatus, though some question arise about implementation. Friday, President Trump signed four new Executive Orders (the...more