Podcast - Hot Topics in Nuclear Waste
Hogan Lovells' Mary Anne Sullivan on the floor of Hogan Lovells Global Energy Summit
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
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 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 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
On Friday, May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four executive orders related to nuclear energy, three of which seek to expedite approval processes for permitting new nuclear reactors. The orders, which build upon...more
The new administration has repeatedly expressed its staunch support for nuclear energy. President Trump’s first-day executive order “Unleashing American Energy” specifically encouraged the development of nuclear energy...more
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory, has published an updated set of recommendations to reform and streamline nuclear energy licensing. The INL/RPT-25-84292, “Recommendations...more
Surging demand for generative artificial intelligence and data centers, among other drivers, in recent years has led to a revived interest in nuclear energy. While large nuclear power plants provide about 20% of our country’s...more
The nuclear energy industry continues to gain momentum and has a strong outlook for 2025 and beyond. This positive forecast is buoyed by support from both major political parties, increased demand, technical advancements, and...more
The U.S. is considering alternatives to multibillion-dollar power capacity auctions as demand surges, driven by AI and data centers. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold a two-day conference in June 2025...more
The NRC recently issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2025-02, which asks reactor licensees to voluntarily provide information about their plans for power-uprate licensing submittals. The NRC will use this information to set...more
Complaint filed United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas (Case No. 6:24-cv-00507) - KEY TAKEAWAYS - The States of Texas and Utah, together with private developer Last Energy, have sued to exempt certain...more
Holtec Palisades is the first project to receive a conditional funding commitment from the U.S. government through the Inflation Reduction Act's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment ("EIR") program....more
On February 28, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill containing a package of nuclear licensing reforms aimed at speeding the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. The bill, which had strong bipartisan...more
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a proposed rule to amend the licensing, inspection, special project, and annual fees charged to applicants and licensees. The proposed amendments are necessary under the...more
Morgan Lewis’s energy lawyers regularly track developments impacting the nuclear industry on the firm’s Up & Atom blog. Throughout 2023, the team provided updates on new rules and guidance from the US Nuclear Regulatory...more
If accepted, the new Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4034, “General Site Suitability Criteria for Nuclear Power Stations,” may facilitate the siting of both advanced and traditional reactors closer to population centers. The...more
On August 25, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license granted to Interim Storage Partners, LLC (ISP) for its temporary spent nuclear fuel storage...more
Nuclear energy is experiencing a resurgence. As the world grapples with how best to address climate change, nuclear has found a seat at the table as a viable, zero-carbon energy source. While the appetite in the U.S. for...more
The move represents a step forward for the small modular nuclear reactor industry, but legislative uncertainty over new nuclear facilities in the US remains. As part of long-range plans to address climate change, many...more
On April 13, 2023, Commissioners of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) directed the NRC staff to create a regulatory framework for fusion energy systems, building on the agency’s existing process for licensing the...more
Today, April 3, the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee (“EPW”) introduced new legislation that continues to demonstrate bipartisan support for advanced nuclear reactor developments, including expanding levels of...more
On March 30, the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) published a report walking through the benefits and latest progress in fusion energy developments, while noting certain challenges and proposing policy approaches to...more
Interest in nuclear energy—and its promise of clean, secure, and affordable power—continue to lead to new projects in the U.S. and abroad. Traditional large reactors, advanced reactors and small, modular reactors (“SMRs”) are...more