The Department of Energy will regulate a nuclear fuel producer in a first-of-a-kind agreement announced Thursday that aims to boost the fuel supply chain but poses novel legal questions.
Under the deal, Standard Nuclear will move operations of its Tennessee and Idaho facilities to DOE oversight. The Oak Ridge, Tennessee-based startup called the agreement a breakthrough for its nuclear fuel business.
“This is a great thing. They’re bridging this gap until [uranium] enrichment comes up,” said Kurt Terrani, CEO of Standard Nuclear. “The government is not picking winners. They’re just saying, ‘We regulate you.’”
The Trump administration pledged to quadruple nuclear energy by 2050. President Donald Trump issued four executive orders in May aimed at speeding up advanced reactor testing, reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and bolstering the nuclear power supply chain. This has included requiring the NRC to review reactor applications under an 18-month deadline and giving DOE a greater role in licensing commercial nuclear facilities.
