DOE to Offer $17.5 Billion in Supply Chain Loans

• DOE to Offer $17.5 Billion in Supply Chain Loans
• DOE Continues Push for Surplus Plutonium as Nuclear Fuel
• Holtec And EDF Submit Proposal to Build SMRs in the UK
• AtkinsRéalis Tells NRC of Intent to License the CANDU Reactor
• Canada Issues Strategic Plan for Nuclear Energy and Uranium 
• Poland’s OSGE Signs Agreement With Wloclawek for 2 SMRs
• Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani Plans Nuclear Power Project

DOE to Offer $17.5 Billion in Supply Chain Loans

Financing will help rebuild America’s nuclear supply chain and accelerate deployment of 10 new large-scale reactors.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) has issued a conditional loan commitment to finance the purchase of long-lead time items needed to rebuild America’s commercial nuclear supply chain. The $17.5 billion American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans Program will help finance five eligible projects sponsored by utilities and energy companies to accelerate the deployment of 10 large-scale commercial nuclear reactors across the United States by up to three years compared to timelines without these incentives.

Westinghouse’s AP1000 units are the only licensed large-scale GEN III+ commercial light water design reactors operating in the U.S. Long-lead items are complex components of a nuclear power plant that require the longest time for manufacturing and delivery. 

Examples include reactor pressure vessels, steam systems, reactor cooling pumps, and turbines, among others. These complex systems take three years or more to fabricate and must be ordered well in advance to meet demanding construction schedules. Some of these items will have to be ordered from heavy industry firms in Japan and South Korea.

Putting Incentives and Program Costs in Perspective

Separately, DOE is offering $100 million in construction loans, which despite its size as a program, is a drop in the bucket for the cost of an AP1000. For reference and a comparison to current global costs for new large reactors, what we know from South Korea’s bid to win construction of new reactors in the Czech Republic at the Dukovany site, the cost of a 1,000 MW PWR type reactor will be $9,000/Kw.

Using that number, an AP1000 would cost just under $10 billion and with economies of scale, two of them could come in at about $18-19 billion. Taken together, a program to build ten AP1000s would therefore cost in the range of $90 billion in current dollars. 

Both Westinghouse and the partner are required to fully commit their project equity, $500 million each ($1 billion total per project or $10 billion for all 10 reactors), upfront prior to accessing DOE loan funds. Purchasing for each project will be staggered based on the timing of equity commitments and other relevant factors. Westinghouse said in a press statement it has signed letters of intent with seven potential partners, each with identified project sites, but did not name them.

Taken together the total incentives offered by this program come to $17.6 billion or about 20% of the expected $90 billion in costs that would be associated with building 10 AP1000s in current dollars. Whether that’s enough to move any of the nation’s nuclear utilities off their perch of wait and see what happens with restart of the twin AP1000s at the V C Summer site is unknown.

DOE’s EDF office financing will support up to five loans, each loan supporting two reactors at a project site. Westinghouse will partner with up to five eligible utilities and energy companies nationwide to procure the long-lead items at a fixed price. Each project will be jointly owned by Westinghouse and a utility or energy company partner. 

 Publicly Traded Utilities Expressing Interest in the Program Will Face Fierce Questions

Given that none of the proposed AP1000s are as yet designated for specific sites, and none have commitments from utilities to build them, the likely scenario for breaking ground and completing all ten will likely stretch out over the entire 2030s. It isn’t feasible to put a number on the expected costs for these reactors that far in the future.

Neither DOE nor Westinghouse revealed the names of the seven potential partners which DOE says have expressed interest in the program. A likely reason is that publicly traded nuclear utilities will face fierce questions from shareholders due to the experience so far in the US with the AP1000s. The doctrine of a “prudent investor” will be top of mind for the CEO’s of these firms.

All five projects would be brand new nuclear power plants on the order, in terms of size and power generation, being the same as the completed twin AP1000s at the Georgia Power Vogtle site. In the U.S. the two George Power plants experienced very significant schedule delays and cost overruns. The plants took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion to complete. 

The Legacy of Failure at V C Summer

Separately, an effort to build two AP1000s at the V C Summer site in South Carolina failed due to gross mismanagement by the utility, Westinghouse, and their contractors. The project was abandoned in 2017 leaving rateholders with $9 billion in debt. Westinghouse declared bankruptcy. Four senior executives, one from Westinghouse, were convicted of fraud and three served jail terms.

In October 2025 Brookfield, which is the Canadian private equity fund that now owns Westinghouse, announced a plan to complete the two partially built AP1000s at V C Summer. A final investment decision isn’t expected before 2028. Whether Brookfield and its EPC team can complete the two reactors on time and within budget will be very closely watched and the outcome will likely influence decisions by all U.S. nuclear utilities interested in building entirely new AP1000s two at a time with or without DOE’s incentives.

Which Sites Have the Best Prospects for New AP1000s?

The obvious question is which sites offer the best opportunties for construction of two new AP1000 nuclear reactors? The answeer is sites that already have, or had combined operating licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, but were never built.

The table below tells the tale. An existing COL for an AP1000 that was never built is like bird in hand for new AP1000s. Sites that were issues COLs for other reactor types would have to spend more effort, and money, to obtain licenses for AP1000s. DOE said in it press statement it is looking for five sites to build 10 AP1000s, two at each sites. It would be logical for DOE to start with this group as its short list.

At the top of the list is Duke Power which holds six COL licenses for AP1000 nuclear reactors that were never built. The Levy County, FL, sites were swept in with the tide when Duke acquired Progress Energy, but Duke never pursued building them.

Sheron Harris and William States Lee were taken off the “ready” boards due to a lack of demand for electricity in the utility’s service area and the competitive effects of low prices for natural gas.

Duke has thrown darts at the board for an SMR at a coal fired power plant in North Carolina, but the timeline for it is a decade in the future

Florida Power and Light holds COLs for 2 AP1000s. The project was suspended indefinitely due to a ruling in 2017 by the Flordia Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that denied the utility’s request to recover construction costs while the project was being built. The PUC determined that FPL could not adequately prove a “realistic and practical intent” to break ground on the reactors in the near term.

There is always the possibility that a utility may want to start over with a greenfield site. However, the advantages of a fully qualied site with a COL is competitive factor that will weigh in the balance.

The two partially built AP1000s at the V C Summer site in South Carolina are proposed to be completed by Brookfield, which owns Westinghouse. A final investment decision is expected for the project in 2028. The original licenses were cancelled which means Scana, the utility for the project, will have to apply for new licenses.

Four other cancelled COLs were for boiling water reactor (BWR)s. However, the STP BWRs are unlikely to be built due to strong opposition from rate payer municipal utilities which sank the prospects for these reactors when they were proposed two decades ago.

Fermi 3 and North Anna 3 were not built due to issues relateded to demand for electricity in their respective service areas.

TVA’s partially built Bellefonte twin reactor, not listed here, were evaluated several times for restart of construction, but the TVA board shelved the project. Since then TVA has pursued development of small modular reactors (SMRs) for the Clinch River, TN, site.

DOE is Bullish on the Program

Each of the 10 AP1000 reactors proposed by DOE will generate 1.1 GW of power, with the combined power output from all 10 reactors providing enough electricity to power nearly 10 million American households. 

DOE said the loan facilities’ bulk equipment purchase order structure “creates a strong commitment to restarting the nation’s nuclear industry by providing the necessary financing for rebuilding the American nuclear supply chain. In doing so, the loan facilities drive down costs for individual nuclear components, create significant supply chain efficiencies, and shorten timelines for nuclear deployment by up to three years.”  

While this conditional commitment from EDF indicates the Department’s intent to provide a loan to finance the projects, DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters definitive financing documents and fund the loan.  

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DOE Continues Push for Surplus Plutonium as Nuclear Fuel

• Advanced negotiations underway with industry to potentially turn multi-billion-dollar government waste liability into a national energy asset.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy is currently working with industry to explore if nearly 20 metric tons of surplus plutonium materials could be transformed into advanced nuclear fuel or used in advanced reactor research and development. 

Earlier this year, the Department competitively selected Exodys Energy, Flibe Energy, Oklo, SHINE Technologies, and Standard Nuclear for advanced negotiations related to potential allocation of the plutonium materials.

Negotiations began on May 27, 2026, and are currently ongoing. Standard Nuclear, which is not planning to build any reactors, has MOUs with SHINE and with Oklo related to its nuclear fuel fabrication strategies which may give it an edge in crafting a deal with DOE.

DOE said in its press statement the Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program was formed to broaden domestic nuclear fuel supplies, spur innovation on American recycling technologies, and unlock private sector funding to fuel America’s nuclear renaissance. 

Selected applicants will be responsible for all costs associated with a DOE-authorized recycling and processing facility, including the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. All program participants are required to submit detailed material safety, security and safeguards plans addressing stabilization, packaging, transportation, security, storage and disposition of the plutonium.  

DOE said it remains committed to the highest standards of safety and security, ensuring that the utilization of plutonium as nuclear fuel is subject to legally binding safeguards, continuous monitoring, and strict independent oversight. 

Prior Coverage on this Blog

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Holtec And EDF Submit Proposal to Build SMRs in the UK

• Aim is to build SMR-300 nuclear plants at former coal site in Nottinghamshire

(NucNet)  Holtec International and French state power company EDF have submitted a joint proposal to the UK government for the deployment of Holtec’s SMR-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at Cottam in Nottinghamshire, central England. The former coal power station site will host up to four SMR-300 units, representing approximately 1.2 GW of generating capacity. The two companies have also signed preliminary terms to establish a joint venture to carry out the project’s development effort.

Holtec, a US-based supplier of equipment and systems for the nuclear energy industry, said the submission to the UK government represents a significant milestone under the country’s advanced nuclear framework, which was established to accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies and encourage greater private-sector participation in new nuclear development.

Holtec said the project demonstrates how former coal sites, with existing grid infrastructure, can be repurposed to support the next generation of nuclear energy while revitalizing the local economy and transforming the region.

Rick Springman, president of Holtec International said, “Our long-standing partnership with EDF, combined with the opportunity created by the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework, provides a strong foundation for advancing SMR-300 deployment at Cottam.” 

He added, “Holtec plans to substantially expand its presence in the UK with a significantly larger operation center and is evaluating a manufacturing plant to build nuclear equipment in the country.”

Simone Rossi, chief executive officer of EDF UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with Holtec International on the development of small modular reactors in the UK.

“The Cottam project supports the UK government’s ambition to expand nuclear capacity and will facilitate significant re-development of a region that has given so much to the UK through its coal heritage.”

Holtec said the proposal builds on its recent completion of the UK’s generic design assessment (GDA) process for the SMR-300 which led to regulatory confirmation of the SMR-300 fundamental safety, security and environmental compliance.

Completion of the GDA has set the regulatory foundation to build at Cottam, which will host a second-of-a-kind (SOAK) SMR-300 project. The twin Pioneer SMR-300 units next to the Palisades nuclear station in Michigan are the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) units being built by a joint venture between Holtec and South Korea’s Hyundai E&C.

Holtec’s construction permit application for the twin Pioneer units is currently under review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, while pre-construction activities continue at the site.

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AtkinsRéalis Tells NRC of Intent to License the CANDU Reactor

• Company begins formal regulatory engagement to bring large-scale nuclear technology to U.S. market amid surging power demand

AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. (TSX: ATRL), an engineering services and nuclear company, announced that it has formally submitted a Notice of Intent to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to begin the licensing process for its CANDU reactor technology in the U.S.

The filing marks the start of formal pre-application engagement with the NRC and represents a key milestone in the company’s strategy to deploy large-scale nuclear power in support of significant U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and broader electrification.

AtkinsRéalis owns the exclusive commercial rights to the CANDU technology, one of the world’s most established large reactor platforms, with 34 units built globally. The Enhanced CANDU6 design is a 700 MW-class pressurized heavy water reactor that uses natural uranium fuel and online refuelling, enabling continuous operation without shutdown for refuelling outages.

The company is engaging U.S. utilities, state governments and prospective anchor power purchasers, including hyperscale data center operators and large industrial users, to evaluate potential deployment opportunities. AtkinsRéalis is focusing on existing nuclear sites and jurisdictions with supportive nuclear policy frameworks to reduce siting risk and accelerate timelines.

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Canada Issues Strategic Plan for Nuclear Energy and Uranium 

(WNN) The first-ever national nuclear strategy released by the Canadian government outlines a vision of new nuclear builds, as well as expanded uranium production, and a strengthened supply chain, as the nation works towards its ambition to become an “energy superpower”.

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada was unveiled by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson. It describes how Canada intends to strengthen energy affordability, security and sustainability at home and abroad by leveraging its existing strengths. 

These strengths include CANDU reactor technology, uranium deposits, Canadian nuclear workforce and supply chain, reactor refurbishment expertise, medical isotopes and other nuclear innovations. There are 26 CANDU reactors in operation around the world, including 17 in Canada. The country is the world’s second-largest producer of uranium. 

Key objectives under the new-build plans include enabling the construction of up to ten new large-scale reactors within Canada, with two under construction by 2035 and five more planned or under development by 2040; at least one nuclear deployment (including small modular reactors, SMRs) operational or under construction outside Ontario by 2035; and a Canadian microreactor to be demonstrated by 2035 and deployed to remote communities in the late 2030s. Locations for these new reactors have not been chosen.

The government will consolidate federal support for nuclear buildouts and intellectual property management. A draft Policy on Federal Financing of New Nuclear Power Projects will be released by April 2027, by the Departments of Finance and Natural Resources Canada, outlining preconditions for federal support and a range of financing instruments, including green bonds, Canada Infrastructure Bank participation, and loan guarantees. 

The strategy says that the regulatory framework for nuclear projects will be streamlined, with a target of completing federal regulatory review within two years, to ensure projects are reviewed efficiently, and federal funding will prioritise a fleet-based approach to reduce regulatory burden, construction risk, and supply chain costs.

The strategy targets winning at least four new international markets for CANDU technology by 2040, and engaging six to ten new nuclear entrant countries over a 15-year horizon; establishing a Nuclear Export Strategy providing end-to-end lifecycle support; and positioning the Canadian supply chain “beyond CANDU” to take part in SMR and large light-water reactor projects globally, with an objective of capturing “significant Canadian supply chain participation” in at least five international non-CANDU large reactor and SMR projects by 2040.

Uranium expansion

The strategy sets an objective to strengthen and secure fuel supply chains for all reactors in Canada by 2032, with a doubling of Canadian uranium exports over the 10 years to 2035, supported by new mine production entering service by 2035. 

Innovation

The fourth pillar of the strategy sets out objectives to strengthen Canadian innovation to sustain Canada’s status as a Tier One nuclear nation. These objectives include aims to more than double annual private-sector nuclear R&D investment by 2032 and establish Canada as a leader in the global fusion fuel cycle market, and the development and demonstration of a Canadian-controlled Generation IV microreactor technology before 2035. Expansion of radioisotope production is also on the table.

Also included is an expansion of research reactor capacity by the early 2030s, alongside a formal assessment of the case for a large-scale research reactor replacement. The Government intends to “leverage the Pan-Canadian Multipurpose Research Reactor Alliance to support consideration of the case for a large-scale research reactor to replace the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor.” The closure of the NRU in 2018 “removed a cornerstone capability.” , The strategy notes replacement of this infrastructure “is a strategic priority, not simply a scientific one”, the strategy notes.

AtkinsRéalis is the sole licensee for the CANDU technology and is developing the Monark reactor. The Government of Canada last year announced it would lend the company up to CAD304 million (USD212 million) over four years to support the development. 

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada is available on NRCan’s website

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Poland’s OSGE Signs Agreement With Wloclawek for SMR plant

(WNN) The City of Wloclawek and Orlen Synthos Green Energy have signed an agreement defining the principles of cooperation in connection with the construction of up to six BWRX-300 small modular reactors in the central Polish city.

 Wloclawek was one of six locations shortlisted by Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) in 2023 for further geological surveys to host small modular reactor (SMR) plants based on GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEVH’s) BWRX-300, for which it holds the exclusive rights in Poland. The other locations were: Ostroleka, Stawy Monowskie, Dabrowa Górnicza, Nowa Huta and the Tarnobrzeg Special Economic Zone.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment issued decisions-in-principle for the six plants in December 2023. In February 2025, Poland’s General Director for Environmental Protection issued the scope of the environmental reports for the proposed SMR projects in Wloclawek and Ostroleka, enabling OSGE to begin environmental and siting research at the two sites. In August last year, Orlen announced that Poland’s first SMR was to be constructed in Wloclawek. 

The City of Wloclawek and OSGE have now signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction of the BWRX-300 plant. According to the agreement, the parties will cooperate on issues such as public communication, educational activities, and the exchange of information regarding the investment process.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEVH’s US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. This is a unique combination that GEVH says positions it to deliver an “innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source” this decade.

The Province of Ontario approved Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to begin construction of the first of four BWRX-300 SMRs planned at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site in May 2025, weeks after the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a construction licence. Early site preparation works began in the autumn of 2022 and were completed in early 2024, clearing the way for main preparation works to begin. OPG plans to connect the first unit to the grid by the end of 2030. The Darlington project is a reference project for OSGE.

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Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani Plans Nuclear Power Project

Adani Enterprises—controlled by Indian port-to-power billionaire Gautam Adani—said it will build a nuclear power plant to help achieve energy security in the world’s most populous country.

Speaking at his company’s shareholders meeting, Adani said the group will enter nuclear power generation through a unit called Adani Atomic Energy. It has already identified a site for the project and aims to build up to 10 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035.

While he didn’t disclose how much he plans to invest in the nuclear project, Adani said Adani Power will invest $21.1 billion over the next five years to more than double its power generation capacity to 45 GWe, from about 18 GWe currently. He said the firm intends to build as much as 10 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2035 – possibly making it the country’s biggest private-sector operator.

“Our entry into nuclear energy through Adani Atomic Energy is another confident step towards securing India’s long term energy future,” Adani said. “We are positioning ourselves early to serve the growing national demand for clean, round-the-clock power.”

Adani has already taken steps toward entering the nuclear power sector. Last year, the group was reportedly in talks with the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to build a commercial nuclear power plant. If the project moves forward, Adani would become the first major private company to operate in the sector.

Reuters reported Adani said the conglomerate’s data center business is on track to build 3 GW of capacity by 2030 and that the group is also ramping up its piped natural gas ​projects to meet India’s rising demand for gas.

As part of its 2047 ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission, and a move towards clean energy, India last year opened its nuclear generation sector to private firms, with an aim to expand India’s nuclear capacity to 100 GWe from the current 8 GWe.

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DOE to Offer $17.5 Billion in Supply Chain Loans to Build AP1000s

• Financing will help rebuild America’s nuclear supply chain and accelerate deployment of 10 new large-scale reactors.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) has issued a conditional loan commitment to finance the purchase of long-lead time items needed to rebuild America’s commercial nuclear supply chain. The $17.5 billion American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans Program will help finance five eligible projects sponsored by utilities and energy companies to accelerate the deployment of 10 large-scale commercial nuclear reactors across the United States by up to three years compared to timelines without these incentives.

Westinghouse’s AP1000 units are the only licensed large-scale GEN III+ commercial light water design reactors operating in the U.S. Long-lead items are complex components of a nuclear power plant that require the longest time for manufacturing and delivery. 

Examples include reactor pressure vessels, steam systems, reactor cooling pumps, and turbines, among others. These complex systems take three years or more to fabricate and must be ordered well in advance to meet demanding construction schedules. Some of these items will have to be ordered from heavy industry firms in Japan and South Korea.

Separately, DOE is offering $100 million in construction loans, which despite its size as a program, is a drop in the bucket for the cost of an AP1000. For reference and a comparison to current global costs for new large reactors, what we know from South Korea’s bid to win construction of new reactors in the Czech Republic at the Dukovany site, the cost of a 1,000 MW PWR type reactor will be $9,000/Kw. Using that number, an AP1000 would cost just under $10 billion and with economies of scale, and two of them could come in at about $18-19 billion. Taken together, a program to build ten AP1000s would therefore cost in the range of $90 billion in current dollars. 

Both Westinghouse and the partner are required to fully commit their project equity, $500 million each ($1 billion total per project or $10 billion for all 10 reactors), upfront prior to accessing DOE loan funds. Purchasing for each project will be staggered based on the timing of equity commitments and other relevant factors. Westinghouse has signed letters of intent with seven potential partners, each with identified project sites.

DOE’s EDF office financing will support up to five loans, each loan supporting two reactors at a project site. Westinghouse will partner with up to five eligible utilities and energy companies nationwide to procure the long-lead items at a fixed price. Each project will be jointly owned by Westinghouse and a utility or energy company partner. 

 Publicly Traded Utilities Expressing Interest in the Program Will Face Fierce Questions

Given that none of the proposed AP1000s are as yet designated for specific sites, and none have commitments from utilities to build them, the likely scenario for breaking ground and completing all ten will likely stretch out over the entire 2030s. It isn’t feasible to put a number on the expected costs for these reactors that far in the future.

Taken together the total incentives offered by this program come to $17.6 billion or about 20% of the expected $90 billion in costs that would be associated with building 10 AP1000s in current dollars. Whether that’s enough to move any of the nation’s nuclear utilities off their perch of wait and see what happens with restart of the twin AP1000s at the V C Summer site is unknown.

Neither DOE nor Westinghouse revealed the names of the seven potential partners which DOE says have expressed interest in the program. A likely reason is that publicly traded nuclear utilities will face fierce questions from shareholders due to the experience so far in the US with the AP1000s. The doctrine of a “prudent investor” will be top of mind for the CEO’s of these firms.

All five projects would be brand new nuclear power plants on the order, in terms of size and power generation, being the same as the completed twin AP1000s at the Georgia Power Vogtle site. In the U.S. the two George Power plants experienced very significant schedule delays and cost overruns. The plants took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion to complete. 

The Legacy of Failure at V C Summer

Separately, an effort to build two AP1000s at the V C Summer site in South Carolina failed due to gross mismanagement by the utility, Westinghouse, and their contractors. The project was abandoned in 2017 leaving rateholders with $9 billion in debt. Westinghouse declared bankruptcy. Four senior executives, one from Westinghouse, were convicted of fraud and three served jail terms.

Earlier this year Brookfield, which is the Canadian private equity fund that owns Westinghouse, announced a plan to complete the two partially built AP1000s at V C Summer. A final investment decision isn’t expected before 2028. Whether Brookfield and its EPC team can complete the two reactors on time and within budget will be very closely watched and the outcome will likely influence decisions by all U.S. nuclear utilities interested in building entirely new AP1000s two at a time.

DOE is Bullish on the Program

Each of the 10 AP1000 reactors proposed by DOE will generate 1.1 GW of power, with the combined power output from all 10 reactors providing enough electricity to power nearly 10 million American households. 

DOE said the loan facilities’ bulk equipment purchase order structure “creates a strong commitment to restarting the nation’s nuclear industry by providing the necessary financing for rebuilding the American nuclear supply chain. In doing so, the loan facilities drive down costs for individual nuclear components, create significant supply chain efficiencies, and shorten timelines for nuclear deployment by up to three years.”  

While this conditional commitment from EDF indicates the Department’s intent to provide a loan to finance the projects, DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters definitive financing documents and funds the loan.  

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DOE Continues to Push Surplus Plutonium as Nuclear Fuel

• Advanced negotiations underway with industry to potentially turn multi-billion-dollar government waste liability into a national energy asset.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy is currently working with industry to explore if nearly 20 metric tons of surplus plutonium materials could be transformed into advanced nuclear fuel or used in advanced reactor research and development. 

Earlier this year, the Department competitively selected Exodys Energy, Flibe Energy, Oklo, SHINE Technologies, and Standard Nuclear for advanced negotiations related to potential allocation of the plutonium materials. Negotiations began on May 27, 2026, and are currently ongoing. Standard Nuclear, which is not planning to build any reactors, has MOUs with SHINE and with Oklo related to its nuclear fuel fabrication strategies which may give it an edge in crafting a deal with DOE.

DOE said in its press statement the Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program was formed to broaden domestic nuclear fuel supplies, spur innovation on American recycling technologies, and unlock private sector funding to fuel America’s nuclear renaissance. 

Selected applicants will be responsible for all costs associated with a DOE-authorized recycling and processing facility, including the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. All program participants are required to submit detailed material safety, security and safeguards plans addressing stabilization, packaging, transportation, security, storage and disposition of the plutonium.  

DOE said it remains committed to the highest standards of safety and security, ensuring that the utilization of plutonium as nuclear fuel is subject to legally binding safeguards, continuous monitoring, and strict independent oversight. 

Prior Coverage on this Blog

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Holtec And EDF Submit Proposal For Up To Four Small Modular Reactors In UK

• Aim is to build SMR-300 nuclear plants at former coal site in Nottinghamshire

(NucNet)  Holtec International and French state power company EDF have submitted a joint proposal to the UK government for the deployment of Holtec’s SMR-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at Cottam in Nottinghamshire, central England. The former coal power station site will host up to four SMR-300 units, representing approximately 1.2 GW of generating capacity. The two companies have also signed preliminary terms to establish a joint venture to carry out the project’s development effort.

Holtec, a US-based supplier of equipment and systems for the nuclear energy industry, said the submission to the UK government represents a significant milestone under the country’s advanced nuclear framework, which was established to accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies and encourage greater private-sector participation in new nuclear development.

Holtec said the project demonstrates how former coal sites, with existing grid infrastructure, can be repurposed to support the next generation of nuclear energy while revitalizing the local economy and transforming the region.

Rick Springman, president of Holtec International said, “Our long-standing partnership with EDF, combined with the opportunity created by the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework, provides a strong foundation for advancing SMR-300 deployment at Cottam.” 

He added, “Holtec plans to substantially expand its presence in the UK with a significantly larger operation center and is evaluating a manufacturing plant to build nuclear equipment in the country.”

Simone Rossi, chief executive officer of EDF UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with Holtec International on the development of small modular reactors in the UK.

“The Cottam project supports the UK government’s ambition to expand nuclear capacity and will facilitate significant re-development of a region that has given so much to the UK through its coal heritage.”

Holtec said the proposal builds on its recent completion of the UK’s generic design assessment (GDA) process for the SMR-300 which led to regulatory confirmation of the SMR-300 fundamental safety, security and environmental compliance.

Completion of the GDA has set the regulatory foundation to build at Cottam, which will host a second-of-a-kind (SOAK) SMR-300 project. The twin Pioneer SMR-300 units next to the Palisades nuclear station in Michigan are the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) units being built by a joint venture between Holtec and South Korea’s Hyundai E&C.

Holtec’s construction permit application for the twin Pioneer units is currently under review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, while pre-construction activities continue at the site.

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AtkinsRéalis Submits Notice Of Intent To NRC to License the CANDU Reactor Design

• Company begins formal regulatory engagement to bring large-scale nuclear technology to U.S. market amid surging power demand

AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. (TSX: ATRL), an engineering services and nuclear company, announced that it has formally submitted a Notice of Intent to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to begin the licensing process for its CANDU reactor technology in the U.S.

The filing marks the start of formal pre-application engagement with the NRC and represents a key milestone in the company’s strategy to deploy large-scale nuclear power in support of significant U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and broader electrification.

AtkinsRéalis owns the exclusive commercial rights to the CANDU technology, one of the world’s most established large reactor platforms, with 34 units built globally. The Enhanced CANDU6 design is a 700 MW-class pressurized heavy water reactor that uses natural uranium fuel and online refuelling, enabling continuous operation without shutdown for refuelling outages.

The company is engaging U.S. utilities, state governments and prospective anchor power purchasers, including hyperscale data center operators and large industrial users, to evaluate potential deployment opportunities. AtkinsRéalis is focusing on existing nuclear sites and jurisdictions with supportive nuclear policy frameworks to reduce siting risk and accelerate timelines.

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Canada Issues Strategic Plan for Nuclear Energy and Uranium 

(WNN) The first-ever national nuclear strategy released by the Canadian government outlines a vision of new nuclear builds, as well as expanded uranium production, and a strengthened supply chain, as the nation works towards its ambition to become an “energy superpower”.

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada was unveiled by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson. It describes how Canada intends to strengthen energy affordability, security and sustainability at home and abroad by leveraging its existing strengths. 

These strengths include CANDU reactor technology, uranium deposits, Canadian nuclear workforce and supply chain, reactor refurbishment expertise, medical isotopes and other nuclear innovations. There are 26 CANDU reactors in operation around the world, including 17 in Canada. The country is the world’s second-largest producer of uranium. 

Key objectives under the new-build plans include enabling the construction of up to ten new large-scale reactors within Canada, with two under construction by 2035 and five more planned or under development by 2040; at least one nuclear deployment (including small modular reactors, SMRs) operational or under construction outside Ontario by 2035; and a Canadian microreactor to be demonstrated by 2035 and deployed to remote communities in the late 2030s. Locations for these new reactors have not been chosen.

The government will consolidate federal support for nuclear buildouts and intellectual property management. A draft Policy on Federal Financing of New Nuclear Power Projects will be released by April 2027, by the Departments of Finance and Natural Resources Canada, outlining preconditions for federal support and a range of financing instruments, including green bonds, Canada Infrastructure Bank participation, and loan guarantees. 

The strategy says that the regulatory framework for nuclear projects will be streamlined, with a target of completing federal regulatory review within two years, to ensure projects are reviewed efficiently, and federal funding will prioritise a fleet-based approach to reduce regulatory burden, construction risk, and supply chain costs.

The strategy targets winning at least four new international markets for CANDU technology by 2040, and engaging six to ten new nuclear entrant countries over a 15-year horizon; establishing a Nuclear Export Strategy providing end-to-end lifecycle support; and positioning the Canadian supply chain “beyond CANDU” to take part in SMR and large light-water reactor projects globally, with an objective of capturing “significant Canadian supply chain participation” in at least five international non-CANDU large reactor and SMR projects by 2040.

Uranium expansion

The strategy sets an objective to strengthen and secure fuel supply chains for all reactors in Canada by 2032, with a doubling of Canadian uranium exports over the 10 years to 2035, supported by new mine production entering service by 2035. 

Innovation

The fourth pillar of the strategy sets out objectives to strengthen Canadian innovation to sustain Canada’s status as a Tier One nuclear nation. These objectives include aims to more than double annual private-sector nuclear R&D investment by 2032 and establish Canada as a leader in the global fusion fuel cycle market, and the development and demonstration of a Canadian-controlled Generation IV microreactor technology before 2035. Expansion of radioisotope production is also on the table.

Also included is an expansion of research reactor capacity by the early 2030s, alongside a formal assessment of the case for a large-scale research reactor replacement. The Government intends to “leverage the Pan-Canadian Multipurpose Research Reactor Alliance to support consideration of the case for a large-scale research reactor to replace the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor.” The closure of the NRU in 2018 “removed a cornerstone capability.” , The strategy notes replacement of this infrastructure “is a strategic priority, not simply a scientific one”, the strategy notes.

AtkinsRéalis is the sole licensee for the CANDU technology and is developing the Monark reactor. The Government of Canada last year announced it would lend the company up to CAD304 million (USD212 million) over four years to support the development. 

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada is available on NRCan’s website

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Poland’s OSGE Signs Agreement With Wloclawek for 2 SMRs

(WNN) The City of Wloclawek and Orlen Synthos Green Energy have signed an agreement defining the principles of cooperation in connection with the construction of up to six BWRX-300 small modular reactors in the central Polish city.

 Wloclawek was one of six locations shortlisted by Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) in 2023 for further geological surveys to host small modular reactor (SMR) plants based on GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEVH’s) BWRX-300, for which it holds the exclusive rights in Poland. The other locations were: Ostroleka, Stawy Monowskie, Dabrowa Górnicza, Nowa Huta and the Tarnobrzeg Special Economic Zone.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment issued decisions-in-principle for the six plants in December 2023. In February 2025, Poland’s General Director for Environmental Protection issued the scope of the environmental reports for the proposed SMR projects in Wloclawek and Ostroleka, enabling OSGE to begin environmental and siting research at the two sites. In August last year, Orlen announced that Poland’s first SMR was to be constructed in Wloclawek. 

The City of Wloclawek and OSGE have now signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction of the BWRX-300 plant. According to the agreement, the parties will cooperate on issues such as public communication, educational activities, and the exchange of information regarding the investment process.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEVH’s US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. This is a unique combination that GEVH says positions it to deliver an “innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source” this decade.

The Province of Ontario approved Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to begin construction of the first of four BWRX-300 SMRs planned at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site in May 2025, weeks after the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a construction licence. Early site preparation works began in the autumn of 2022 and were completed in early 2024, clearing the way for main preparation works to begin. OPG plans to connect the first unit to the grid by the end of 2030. The Darlington project is a reference project for OSGE.

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Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani Plans Nuclear Power Project

Adani Enterprises—controlled by Indian port-to-power billionaire Gautam Adani—said it will build a nuclear power plant to help achieve energy security in the world’s most populous country.

Speaking at his company’s shareholders meeting, Adani said the group will enter nuclear power generation through a unit called Adani Atomic Energy. It has already identified a site for the project and aims to build up to 10 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035.

While he didn’t disclose how much he plans to invest in the nuclear project, Adani said Adani Power will invest $21.1 billion over the next five years to more than double its power generation capacity to 45 GWe, from about 18 GWe currently. He said the firm intends to build as much as 10 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2035 – possibly making it the country’s biggest private-sector operator.

“Our entry into nuclear energy through Adani Atomic Energy is another confident step towards securing India’s long term energy future,” Adani said. “We are positioning ourselves early to serve the growing national demand for clean, round-the-clock power.”

Adani has already taken steps toward entering the nuclear power sector. Last year, the group was reportedly in talks with the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to build a commercial nuclear power plant. If the project moves forward, Adani would become the first major private company to operate in the sector.

Reuters reported Adani said the conglomerate’s data center business is on track to build 3 GW of capacity by 2030 and that the group is also ramping up its piped natural gas ​projects to meet India’s rising demand for gas.

As part of its 2047 ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission, and a move towards clean energy, India last year opened its nuclear generation sector to private firms, with an aim to expand India’s nuclear capacity to 100 GWe from the current 8 GWe.

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• Financing will help rebuild America’s nuclear supply chain and accelerate deployment of 10 new large-scale reactors.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) has issued a conditional loan commitment to finance the purchase of long-lead time items needed to rebuild America’s commercial nuclear supply chain. The $17.5 billion American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans Program will help finance five eligible projects sponsored by utilities and energy companies to accelerate the deployment of 10 large-scale commercial nuclear reactors across the United States by up to three years compared to timelines without these incentives.

Westinghouse’s AP1000 units are the only licensed large-scale GEN III+ commercial light water design reactors operating in the U.S. Long-lead items are complex components of a nuclear power plant that require the longest time for manufacturing and delivery. 

Examples include reactor pressure vessels, steam systems, reactor cooling pumps, and turbines, among others. These complex systems take three years or more to fabricate and must be ordered well in advance to meet demanding construction schedules. Some of these items will have to be ordered from heavy industry firms in Japan and South Korea.

Separately, DOE is offering $100 million in construction loans, which despite its size as a program, is a drop in the bucket for the cost of an AP1000. For reference and a comparison to current global costs for new large reactors, what we know from South Korea’s bid to win construction of new reactors in the Czech Republic at the Dukovany site, the cost of a 1,000 MW PWR type reactor will be $9,000/Kw. Using that number, an AP1000 would cost just under $10 billion and with economies of scale, and two of them could come in at about $18-19 billion. Taken together, a program to build ten AP1000s would therefore cost in the range of $90 billion in current dollars. 

Both Westinghouse and the partner are required to fully commit their project equity, $500 million each ($1 billion total per project or $10 billion for all 10 reactors), upfront prior to accessing DOE loan funds. Purchasing for each project will be staggered based on the timing of equity commitments and other relevant factors. Westinghouse has signed letters of intent with seven potential partners, each with identified project sites.

DOE’s EDF office financing will support up to five loans, each loan supporting two reactors at a project site. Westinghouse will partner with up to five eligible utilities and energy companies nationwide to procure the long-lead items at a fixed price. Each project will be jointly owned by Westinghouse and a utility or energy company partner. 

 Publicly Traded Utilities Expressing Interest in the Program Will Face Fierce Questions

Given that none of the proposed AP1000s are as yet designated for specific sites, and none have commitments from utilities to build them, the likely scenario for breaking ground and completing all ten will likely stretch out over the entire 2030s. It isn’t feasible to put a number on the expected costs for these reactors that far in the future.

Taken together the total incentives offered by this program come to $17.6 billion or about 20% of the expected $90 billion in costs that would be associated with building 10 AP1000s in current dollars. Whether that’s enough to move any of the nation’s nuclear utilities off their perch of wait and see what happens with restart of the twin AP1000s at the V C Summer site is unknown.

Neither DOE nor Westinghouse revealed the names of the seven potential partners which DOE says have expressed interest in the program. A likely reason is that publicly traded nuclear utilities will face fierce questions from shareholders due to the experience so far in the US with the AP1000s. The doctrine of a “prudent investor” will be top of mind for the CEO’s of these firms.

All five projects would be brand new nuclear power plants on the order, in terms of size and power generation, being the same as the completed twin AP1000s at the Georgia Power Vogtle site. In the U.S. the two George Power plants experienced very significant schedule delays and cost overruns. The plants took 15 years to build and cost $35 billion to complete. 

The Legacy of Failure at V C Summer

Separately, an effort to build two AP1000s at the V C Summer site in South Carolina failed due to gross mismanagement by the utility, Westinghouse, and their contractors. The project was abandoned in 2017 leaving rateholders with $9 billion in debt. Westinghouse declared bankruptcy. Four senior executives, one from Westinghouse, were convicted of fraud and three served jail terms.

Earlier this year Brookfield, which is the Canadian private equity fund that owns Westinghouse, announced a plan to complete the two partially built AP1000s at V C Summer. A final investment decision isn’t expected before 2028. Whether Brookfield and its EPC team can complete the two reactors on time and within budget will be very closely watched and the outcome will likely influence decisions by all U.S. nuclear utilities interested in building entirely new AP1000s two at a time.

DOE is Bullish on the Program

Each of the 10 AP1000 reactors proposed by DOE will generate 1.1 GW of power, with the combined power output from all 10 reactors providing enough electricity to power nearly 10 million American households. 

DOE said the loan facilities’ bulk equipment purchase order structure “creates a strong commitment to restarting the nation’s nuclear industry by providing the necessary financing for rebuilding the American nuclear supply chain. In doing so, the loan facilities drive down costs for individual nuclear components, create significant supply chain efficiencies, and shorten timelines for nuclear deployment by up to three years.”  

While this conditional commitment from EDF indicates the Department’s intent to provide a loan to finance the projects, DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters definitive financing documents and funds the loan.  

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DOE Continues to Push Surplus Plutonium as Nuclear Fuel

• Advanced negotiations underway with industry to potentially turn multi-billion-dollar government waste liability into a national energy asset.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy is currently working with industry to explore if nearly 20 metric tons of surplus plutonium materials could be transformed into advanced nuclear fuel or used in advanced reactor research and development. 

Earlier this year, the Department competitively selected Exodys Energy, Flibe Energy, Oklo, SHINE Technologies, and Standard Nuclear for advanced negotiations related to potential allocation of the plutonium materials. Negotiations began on May 27, 2026, and are currently ongoing. Standard Nuclear, which is not planning to build any reactors, has MOUs with SHINE and with Oklo related to its nuclear fuel fabrication strategies which may give it an edge in crafting a deal with DOE.

DOE said in its press statement the Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program was formed to broaden domestic nuclear fuel supplies, spur innovation on American recycling technologies, and unlock private sector funding to fuel America’s nuclear renaissance. 

Selected applicants will be responsible for all costs associated with a DOE-authorized recycling and processing facility, including the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. All program participants are required to submit detailed material safety, security and safeguards plans addressing stabilization, packaging, transportation, security, storage and disposition of the plutonium.  

DOE said it remains committed to the highest standards of safety and security, ensuring that the utilization of plutonium as nuclear fuel is subject to legally binding safeguards, continuous monitoring, and strict independent oversight. 

Prior Coverage on this Blog

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Holtec And EDF Submit Proposal For Up To Four Small Modular Reactors In UK

• Aim is to build SMR-300 nuclear plants at former coal site in Nottinghamshire

(NucNet)  Holtec International and French state power company EDF have submitted a joint proposal to the UK government for the deployment of Holtec’s SMR-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at Cottam in Nottinghamshire, central England. The former coal power station site will host up to four SMR-300 units, representing approximately 1.2 GW of generating capacity. The two companies have also signed preliminary terms to establish a joint venture to carry out the project’s development effort.

Holtec, a US-based supplier of equipment and systems for the nuclear energy industry, said the submission to the UK government represents a significant milestone under the country’s advanced nuclear framework, which was established to accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies and encourage greater private-sector participation in new nuclear development.

Holtec said the project demonstrates how former coal sites, with existing grid infrastructure, can be repurposed to support the next generation of nuclear energy while revitalizing the local economy and transforming the region.

Rick Springman, president of Holtec International said, “Our long-standing partnership with EDF, combined with the opportunity created by the UK’s Advanced Nuclear Framework, provides a strong foundation for advancing SMR-300 deployment at Cottam.” 

He added, “Holtec plans to substantially expand its presence in the UK with a significantly larger operation center and is evaluating a manufacturing plant to build nuclear equipment in the country.”

Simone Rossi, chief executive officer of EDF UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with Holtec International on the development of small modular reactors in the UK.

“The Cottam project supports the UK government’s ambition to expand nuclear capacity and will facilitate significant re-development of a region that has given so much to the UK through its coal heritage.”

Holtec said the proposal builds on its recent completion of the UK’s generic design assessment (GDA) process for the SMR-300 which led to regulatory confirmation of the SMR-300 fundamental safety, security and environmental compliance.

Completion of the GDA has set the regulatory foundation to build at Cottam, which will host a second-of-a-kind (SOAK) SMR-300 project. The twin Pioneer SMR-300 units next to the Palisades nuclear station in Michigan are the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) units being built by a joint venture between Holtec and South Korea’s Hyundai E&C.

Holtec’s construction permit application for the twin Pioneer units is currently under review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, while pre-construction activities continue at the site.

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AtkinsRéalis Submits Notice Of Intent To NRC to License the CANDU Reactor Design

• Company begins formal regulatory engagement to bring large-scale nuclear technology to U.S. market amid surging power demand

AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. (TSX: ATRL), an engineering services and nuclear company, announced that it has formally submitted a Notice of Intent to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to begin the licensing process for its CANDU reactor technology in the U.S.

The filing marks the start of formal pre-application engagement with the NRC and represents a key milestone in the company’s strategy to deploy large-scale nuclear power in support of significant U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and broader electrification.

AtkinsRéalis owns the exclusive commercial rights to the CANDU technology, one of the world’s most established large reactor platforms, with 34 units built globally. The Enhanced CANDU6 design is a 700 MW-class pressurized heavy water reactor that uses natural uranium fuel and online refuelling, enabling continuous operation without shutdown for refuelling outages.

The company is engaging U.S. utilities, state governments and prospective anchor power purchasers, including hyperscale data center operators and large industrial users, to evaluate potential deployment opportunities. AtkinsRéalis is focusing on existing nuclear sites and jurisdictions with supportive nuclear policy frameworks to reduce siting risk and accelerate timelines.

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Canada Issues Nuclear Strategic Plan Focus on Nuclear Energy and Uranium 

(WNN) The first-ever national nuclear strategy released by the Canadian government outlines a vision of new nuclear builds, as well as expanded uranium production, and a strengthened supply chain, as the nation works towards its ambition to become an “energy superpower”.

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada was unveiled by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson. It describes how Canada intends to strengthen energy affordability, security and sustainability at home and abroad by leveraging its existing strengths. 

These strengths include CANDU reactor technology, uranium deposits, Canadian nuclear workforce and supply chain, reactor refurbishment expertise, medical isotopes and other nuclear innovations. There are 26 CANDU reactors in operation around the world, including 17 in Canada. The country is the world’s second-largest producer of uranium. 

Key objectives under the new-build plans include enabling the construction of up to ten new large-scale reactors within Canada, with two under construction by 2035 and five more planned or under development by 2040; at least one nuclear deployment (including small modular reactors, SMRs) operational or under construction outside Ontario by 2035; and a Canadian microreactor to be demonstrated by 2035 and deployed to remote communities in the late 2030s. Locations for these new reactors have not been chosen.

The government will consolidate federal support for nuclear buildouts and intellectual property management. A draft Policy on Federal Financing of New Nuclear Power Projects will be released by April 2027, by the Departments of Finance and Natural Resources Canada, outlining preconditions for federal support and a range of financing instruments, including green bonds, Canada Infrastructure Bank participation, and loan guarantees. 

The strategy says that the regulatory framework for nuclear projects will be streamlined, with a target of completing federal regulatory review within two years, to ensure projects are reviewed efficiently, and federal funding will prioritise a fleet-based approach to reduce regulatory burden, construction risk, and supply chain costs.

The strategy targets winning at least four new international markets for CANDU technology by 2040, and engaging six to ten new nuclear entrant countries over a 15-year horizon; establishing a Nuclear Export Strategy providing end-to-end lifecycle support; and positioning the Canadian supply chain “beyond CANDU” to take part in SMR and large light-water reactor projects globally, with an objective of capturing “significant Canadian supply chain participation” in at least five international non-CANDU large reactor and SMR projects by 2040.

Uranium expansion

The strategy sets an objective to strengthen and secure fuel supply chains for all reactors in Canada by 2032, with a doubling of Canadian uranium exports over the 10 years to 2035, supported by new mine production entering service by 2035. 

Innovation

The fourth pillar of the strategy sets out objectives to strengthen Canadian innovation to sustain Canada’s status as a Tier One nuclear nation. These objectives include aims to more than double annual private-sector nuclear R&D investment by 2032 and establish Canada as a leader in the global fusion fuel cycle market, and the development and demonstration of a Canadian-controlled Generation IV microreactor technology before 2035. Expansion of radioisotope production is also on the table.

Also included is an expansion of research reactor capacity by the early 2030s, alongside a formal assessment of the case for a large-scale research reactor replacement. The Government intends to “leverage the Pan-Canadian Multipurpose Research Reactor Alliance to support consideration of the case for a large-scale research reactor to replace the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor.” The closure of the NRU in 2018 “removed a cornerstone capability.” , The strategy notes replacement of this infrastructure “is a strategic priority, not simply a scientific one”, the strategy notes.

AtkinsRéalis is the sole licensee for the CANDU technology and is developing the Monark reactor. The Government of Canada last year announced it would lend the company up to CAD304 million (USD212 million) over four years to support the development. 

The Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada is available on NRCan’s website

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Poland’s OSGE Signs Agreement With Wloclawek for SMR plant

(WNN) The City of Wloclawek and Orlen Synthos Green Energy have signed an agreement defining the principles of cooperation in connection with the construction of up to six BWRX-300 small modular reactors in the central Polish city.

 Wloclawek was one of six locations shortlisted by Orlen Synthos Green Energy (OSGE) in 2023 for further geological surveys to host small modular reactor (SMR) plants based on GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEVH’s) BWRX-300, for which it holds the exclusive rights in Poland. The other locations were: Ostroleka, Stawy Monowskie, Dabrowa Górnicza, Nowa Huta and the Tarnobrzeg Special Economic Zone.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment issued decisions-in-principle for the six plants in December 2023. In February 2025, Poland’s General Director for Environmental Protection issued the scope of the environmental reports for the proposed SMR projects in Wloclawek and Ostroleka, enabling OSGE to begin environmental and siting research at the two sites. In August last year, Orlen announced that Poland’s first SMR was to be constructed in Wloclawek. 

The City of Wloclawek and OSGE have now signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction of the BWRX-300 plant. According to the agreement, the parties will cooperate on issues such as public communication, educational activities, and the exchange of information regarding the investment process.

The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEVH’s US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. This is a unique combination that GEVH says positions it to deliver an “innovative, carbon-free baseload power generation source” this decade.

The Province of Ontario approved Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to begin construction of the first of four BWRX-300 SMRs planned at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site in May 2025, weeks after the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a construction licence. Early site preparation works began in the autumn of 2022 and were completed in early 2024, clearing the way for main preparation works to begin. OPG plans to connect the first unit to the grid by the end of 2030. The Darlington project is a reference project for OSGE.

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Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani Plans Nuclear Power Project In Energy Expansion Drive

Adani Enterprises—controlled by Indian port-to-power billionaire Gautam Adani—said it will build a nuclear power plant to help achieve energy security in the world’s most populous country.

Speaking at his company’s shareholders meeting, Adani said the group will enter nuclear power generation through a unit called Adani Atomic Energy. It has already identified a site for the project and aims to build up to 10 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035.

While he didn’t disclose how much he plans to invest in the nuclear project, Adani said Adani Power will invest $21.1 billion over the next five years to more than double its power generation capacity to 45 GWe, from about 18 GWe currently. He said the firm intends to build as much as 10 GWe of nuclear generating capacity by 2035 – possibly making it the country’s biggest private-sector operator.

“Our entry into nuclear energy through Adani Atomic Energy is another confident step towards securing India’s long term energy future,” Adani said. “We are positioning ourselves early to serve the growing national demand for clean, round-the-clock power.”

Adani has already taken steps toward entering the nuclear power sector. Last year, the group was reportedly in talks with the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to build a commercial nuclear power plant. If the project moves forward, Adani would become the first major private company to operate in the sector.

Reuters reported Adani said the conglomerate’s data center business is on track to build 3 GW of capacity by 2030 and that the group is also ramping up its piped natural gas ​projects to meet India’s rising demand for gas.

As part of its 2047 ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission, and a move towards clean energy, India last year opened its nuclear generation sector to private firms, with an aim to expand India’s nuclear capacity to 100 GWe from the current 8 GWe.

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