• NUCLEAR WASTEGerman Nuclear Phaseout Leaves Radioactive Waste Problem

    By Klaus Deuse

    While Germany searches for a permanent storage facility for its nuclear waste, it risks sitting on piles of dangerous waste for decades. The problem drains public finances by hundreds of millions of euros every year.

  • NUCLEAR ENERGYMs. Nuclear Energy Is Winning Over Nuclear Skeptics

    By Poornima Apte

    Kaylee Cunningham recognizes that her training as a Ph.D. student in nuclear science and engineering could be for naught if myths continue to plague the industry. The activist is committed to helping — one TikTok at a time.

  • NUCLEAR MATTERSThe Nuclear Arms Race’s Legacy at Home: Toxic Contamination, Staggering Cleanup Costs and a Culture of Government Secrecy

    By William J. Kinsella

    The Manhattan Project spawned a trinity of interconnected legacies. Among other things, it led to widespread public health and environmental damage from nuclear weapons production and testing. And it generated a culture of governmental secrecy with troubling political consequences.

  • NUCLEAR POWERThe Future of Nuclear Power in a Low-Carbon World

    By Josh Blatt

    For decades, large gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors have provided a significant portion of electricity in the United States, but most of these reactors are at least 40 years old. As the nation moves to decarbonize the economy and transition to clean energy, there are questions how nuclear power could maintain a position in the future energy mix ― given environmental and safety concerns, as well as the high upfront capital costs associated with building reactors.

  • NUCLEAR POWERHow Molten Salt Could Be the Lifeblood of Tomorrow’s Nuclear Energy

    By Addison Arave

    Molten salt has caught the eye of the nuclear industry as an ideal working fluid for reactor cooling, energy transfer, fueling and fission product absorption. Many of the salts being considered are inexpensive, nontoxic, and easily transportable – and table salt is one of the constituents many reactor developers are choosing to use.

  • NUCLEAR ENERGYFirst New U.S. Nuclear Reactor in 40 Years is Up and Running

    By Emily Jones

    After years of delays, Plant Vogtle project goes online in Georgia. The completion of the first of two new reactors at the plant is a major milestone not just for the long-delayed project but for nuclear energy in the United States. There are currently no other nuclear reactors being built in the United States.

  • NUCLEAR POWERAmericans’ Support for Nuclear Power Soars to Highest Level in a Decade

    By Akielly Hu

    A Gallup survey released in late April found that 55 percent of U.S. adults support the use of nuclear power. That’s up four percentage points from last year and reflects the highest level of public support for nuclear energy use in electricity since 2012. As the country looks to decarbonize, the popularity of nuclear continues to climb.

  • NUCLEAR POWERSustaining U.S. Nuclear Power Plants Could be Key to Decarbonization

    By Jesenia Hernandez

    Nuclear power is the single largest source of carbon-free energy in the United States and currently provides nearly 20 percent of the nation’s electrical demand. New research sought to answer the question: Just how much do our existing nuclear reactors contribute to the mission of meeting the country’s climate goals, both now and if their operating licenses were extended?

  • NUCLEAR POWERU.S. Should Begin Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors: Report

    New and advanced types of nuclear reactors could play an important role in helping the U.S. meet its long-term climate goals, but a range of technical, regulatory, economic, and societal challenges must first be overcome.

  • NUCLEAR POWEREnhancing Advanced Nuclear Reactor Analysis

    By Mollie Rappe

    Nuclear power is a significant source of steady carbon-neutral electricity, and advanced reactors can add more of it to the U.S. grid, which is vital for the environment and economy. Sandia Lab researchers have developed a standardized screening method to determine the most important radioactive isotopes that could leave an advanced reactor site in the unlikely event of an accident.

  • NUCLEAR POWERShutting Down Nuclear Power Could Increase Air Pollution

    By Jennifer Chu

    Nearly 20 percent of today’s electricity in the United States comes from nuclear power. The U.S. has the largest nuclear fleet in the world, with 92 reactors scattered around the country. Many of these power plants have run for more than half a century and are approaching the end of their expected lifetimes. If reactors are retired, polluting energy sources that fill the gap could cause more than 5,000 premature deaths, researchers estimate.

  • NUCLEAR WASTEGermany: Seeking Solution for Remaining Nuclear Waste

    By Jens Thurau

    Nuclear energy in Germany has been history since mid-April. The last three nuclear power plants ended their operations on April 15. Germany’s nuclear power might be gone, but nuclear waste isn’t going anywhere. The search for a location for a final repository remains a challenge.

  • NUCLEAR POWERTesting Gaming Technology to Train Nuclear Workforce

    By Kristen Mally Dean

    Video game software paired with high-tech hard hats can bridge theory and reality to engage a new generation of workers. Argonne engineers tested extended reality tools at the nation’s largest liquid metal test facility.

  • NUCLEAR POWERGermany to Turn Off Nuclear Power, but Other Countries Not Ready Yet

    By Srinivas Mazumdaru

    Germany is shutting down its last three atomic power plants this weekend after previously delaying the nuclear phaseout due to the war in Ukraine.

  • NUCLEAR POWERPreparing Students for the New Nuclear

    By Kara Baskin

    Nuclear power has gained greater recognition as a zero-emission energy source, and an MIT program trains leaders for a rapidly evolving industry.