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Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Trump's licensing goals pile pressure on nuclear regulator
July 3 - On May 23, President Trump signed an executive order requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to speed up licence approvals to under 18 months for the construction and operation of new reactors and 12 months for licences to continue operating existing reactors. At the time, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that red tape and outdated government policies have stymied the nuclear industry for too long. Faster licensing will likely accelerate nuclear deployment because 'the reality is that permitting/licensing can take a lot longer than the actual construction for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs),' said Patrick O'Brien, Holtec Director, Government Affairs and Communications. Alongside partner Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Holtec plans to build 10 GW of SMRs in North America in the 2030s. Trump ordered the NRC to implement standardised applications for 'high-volume licensing' of SMRs and modular reactors to support a four-fold increase in U.S. nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050. He signed three other executive orders, directing the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD) to develop four pilot advanced nuclear reactors between them with private funding, and to 'reinvigorate' nuclear fuel production and enrichment. He also instructed the NRC to create 'an expedited pathway for approving reactor designs' that have been DOD or DOE-tested. Only two new nuclear units have entered commercial operation in the U.S. since 1978 – Vogtle 3 and 4, both of which feature Westinghouse's AP1000 pressurized water reactors. MAP: US nuclear power plants operational in February 2025 Although tax credits will likely be withdrawn for many new renewable energy projects under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is currently before the Senate, the production and investment tax credits for nuclear projects that begin construction before January 1, 2029, are retained. The NRC is working quickly to review and implement the orders and looks forward 'to continuing to work with the Administration, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense on future nuclear programs,' NRC Spokesperson Scott Burnell told Reuters Events. Progress is already being made on some applications. The NRC approved NuScale Power's 77 MW version of its SMR design on May 29, several months ahead of schedule, and granted environmental approval for Holtec International's 800 MW Palisades nuclear plant restart in Michigan just one day later. Several SMR companies are engaged in the NRC licensing process. TerraPower has submitted a construction permit application to the NRC for the Natrium reactor demonstration project, while Holtec is currently engaged in pre-application activities for the SMR-300 design. Faster licensing Speeding up licensing is possible within the current framework 'provided they [the NRC] have the necessary resources/staff' but staff need direction on which applications need to be prioritized, said O'Brien. The License Termination Plan for the decommissioning of the Oyster Creek nuclear facility in New Jersey, a process that typically requires a 24-month review, is expected to be completed in 12 months and 'similar timelines for new submittals can be met,' O'Brien told Reuters Events. Download exclusive insights from the Reuters Events: SMR & Advanced Reactor 2025 conference in May. The NRC plans to introduce a dedicated team to implement the changes directed by the executive orders. Planned budgets and staffing have not changed significantly for the next fiscal year, but the impact of a staff resignation program by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has yet to be seen, Edwin Lyman, Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told Reuters Events. DOGE measures to downsize the federal workforce and cut expenses could also undermine the work of the DOE Loan Program Office (LPO), which has been a strong supporter of both renewables and nuclear, providing $107 billion in financial backing to energy projects during the Biden administration. The LPO provided a $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant and previously backed Vogtle 3 and 4. NRC retirement rates are similar to those of the nuclear industry as a whole, which has an aging workforce, said O'Brien. Approval timelines have been 'trending in a positive direction' because the NRC was already seeking to streamline practices under the Biden administration's ADVANCE Act, noted O'Brien. Safety concerns The DOE, which has criticised the NRC for being 'overly risk-averse,' said the new orders are focused 'on balancing safety concerns with the benefits of nuclear energy,' and described existing radiation models as 'flawed.' There are no safety concerns over accelerating permitting for pressurized water reactors like the AP1000 'but other newer designs might need more time to validate,' said O'Brien. For exclusive nuclear insights, sign up to our newsletter. The licensing process would be 'imperilled by imposing artificial timelines on reviews, especially for novel and complex new reactor designs,' said Lyman. He said he was therefore 'deeply concerned' about efforts by the ADVANCE Act and the executive orders 'to pressure the NRC to take shortcuts to facilitate speedy approvals, which could increase the risk that unsafe designs will be licensed and deployed.' The orders are 'wrong-headed from top to bottom' and call for the entirety of NRC regulations and guidance to be revised on a completely unrealistic timescale, he said. Democratic Senator Edward J. Markey in a statement said that the executive orders make it 'impossible for NRC to maintain a commitment to safety and oversight with staffing levels slashed and expertise gone.' CHART: Small modular reactor projects by country Advanced nuclear projects face even bigger obstacles including insufficient capital cost financing, supply chain shortcomings and a lack of fuel production capacity, such as high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), noted Lyman. The LPO must be ready to provide first-of-a-kind funding for new reactor models, while government authorities should provide 'consistent tax policy to blend the cost curve after the first few deployments,' said O'Brien.
Trade Arabia
05-06-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Mott MacDonald's global revenue in 2024 soars to record $3.3bn
Mott MacDonald, a leading engineering, development and management consultancy, has reported another year of growth with its revenue for 2024 surging to hit £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) across its global regions for the first time. Announcing the solid results, Mott MacDonald said the performance highlights the resilience of the business in the face of economic and political uncertainties in key geographies in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and the Middle East. Organic revenue growth of 7.6% was indicative of a strong performance. Its 2024 figure was up 6.1% over the previous year with a pre-tax profit of £123.3 million, it stated. Mott MacDonald experienced growth in its UK consultancy business, with key appointments to support national grid in the design of two high-voltage links to increase renewable energy connectivity and continuing its work with Holtec Britain and Hyundai Engineering & Construction to explore the delivery of small modular reactor technology. Alongside its UK contracting business there was also good growth and opportunity in the water sector around AMP8, it stated. In the region, Mott MacDonald was appointed as city infrastructure engineer in Saudi Arabia for the first phase of THE LINE, which forms part of NEOM, the region taking shape in the northwest of the Kingdom. In North America, Mott MacDonald built on successes in transit, tunnels and underground infrastructure and energy, where it was appointed to provide programme and project management services for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Work is ongoing in storm flood relief as it continues to support the upgrade of Philadelphia's historic sewer system. In Australia and New Zealand, Mott MacDonald said it had strengthened its offering with the acquisition of specialist consultancies Merz and Neo Engineering respectively. It was also selected by Queensland Hydro to provide engineering services for the upper and lower dams at the proposed energy hydro storage system at Lake Borumba. James Harris, the executive chair of Mott MacDonald, said: "The last 12 months mark another year of good performance for the business, as our revenues reached £2.5 billion for the first time."
Zawya
02-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi: Al Yamamah Steel rolls out deal exceeding $44.66mln in value
Riyadh – Al Yamamah Steel Industries Company inked a SAR 167.64 million deal with Trading & Development Partnership Company on 29 May 2025, according to a bourse disclosure. Under the one-year agreement, the two parties will join forces to supply steel towers for a 380 kilovolt ultra-high voltage line for the Western Region. Al Yamamah Steel highlighted that the project, starting in August, will start affecting its financial results during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025. Last February, the Tadawul-listed firm and a Branch of Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company Limited penned a SAR 174.91 million deal. All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Times of Oman
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
South Korea: 4 dead in bridge collapse
Seoul: At least four construction workers were killed and several others were injured when a piece of elevated highway collapsed on Tuesday in South Korea. Some of those injured were in serious condition at a local hospital. Officials said that two of the deceased were Chinese nationals, and two were South Korean. One of the wounded workers is also Chinese. The bridge in Anseong, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of the capital Seoul, was still being built when the 50-meter-long beams holding it up crashed to the ground. Local fire official Ko Kyung-man told a televised press conference that the builders "were working to install a deck on the bridge." "All of the 10 were up on the deck... and fell from both sides when it collapsed," he said. Authorities said that the cause of the incident could not immediately be determined. Hyundai Engineering, the lead contractor for the construction project, issued a statement saying: "We sincerely bow our heads in apology to those who lost their precious lives and were injured in the accident at our construction site. We are actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to ensure a prompt resolution on-site." Acting President Choi Sang-mok told relevant agencies to mobilise all available personnel and equipment to the site of the collapse. Later, the National Fire Agency said it had sent 150 emergency workers to the scene, while the Transport Ministry said it had also dispatched several officials. According to South Korea's Labour Ministry, between the years 2020 and 2023, at least 8,000 people died in work-related incidents. Legislation was enacted in 2022 to try and address widespread safety issues, but fatalities have persisted.
Al Jazeera
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Four killed in South Korea road collapse
Four people were killed and six were injured in South Korea after elevated parts of a highway under construction collapsed on Tuesday, fire authorities said. The National Fire Agency said 10 people were working on the site in the city of Anseong, about 65km (40 miles) south of the capital Seoul. The accident took place at 9:49am (00:49 GMT), when five 50-metre (164-foot) steel structures supporting the highway bridge collapsed, trapping the workers in the rubble. The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it dispatched a team of officials to the scene. Hyundai Engineering, the builder of the site, apologised for the loss of lives and injuries. 'We are actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to ensure a swift site recovery and a thorough investigation into the exact cause of the accident,' the company said in a statement, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Acting President Choi Sang-mok called to mobilise all available personnel and to ensure safety measures to prevent further damage, his office said. Choi became South Korea's acting president in December, after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3. Yoon appeared in court for a preliminary hearing last week on allegations he was attempting to orchestrate a rebellion, before a criminal trial. Police arrested Yoon on January 15 after a weeklong standoff at his residential compound, in the first such action taken against a sitting president in South Korea. Deadly accidents continue to regularly occur at industrial sites in South Korea, which introduced a law in 2022 to address safety lapses and punish company management if a worker is killed on the job. Earlier in February, six people died in a fire at a hotel construction site in the port city of Busan, with about 100 people evacuated, including 14 workers plucked to safety by a helicopter after they had taken refuge on a rooftop. In June last year, a fire at a lithium battery factory that authorities blamed on quality control failures and inadequate safety training killed 23 workers.
