What the Russia crisis means for U.S. electricity mix

Gasoline prices have spiked in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the effects of the conflict are also spilling into the U.S. electricity sector, with implications for greenhouse gas emissions and energy policy. Although the crisis isn’t expected to derail electric utilities’ broad shift toward cleaner energy sources, it could temporarily extend coal’s …

ORNL, TVA Partner to Drive Decarbonization, Explore Carbon-Free Technologies

 The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), are joining forces to advance decarbonization technologies from discovery through deployment through a new memorandum of understanding, or MOU. Eliminating carbon dioxide emissions in the production of U.S. electricity is essential to achieving the federal government’s goal of net-zero carbon …

Linglong 1’s lower cylinder of steel containment successfully lifted

The lower cylinder of the steel containment of the world’s first commercial modular small reactor on land, the Linglong 1, was successfully lifted into position on Saturday in Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in South China’s Hainan Province, completing the milestone 46 days ahead of schedule, according to media reports. The lower cylinder of the steel …

Nuclear, coal, LNG: ‘no taboos’ in Germany’s energy about-face

A woman cleans the inside of an exhibit representing a natural gas pipeline at the booth of Nord Stream during final preparations at the “Hannover Messe” industrial trade fair in Hannover April 15, 2007. REUTERS/Christian Charisius/File Photo Germany signalled a U-turn in key energy policies on Sunday, floating the possibility of extending the life-spans of …

New Jersey will need nuclear at least until 2050, may extend ZEC cycle: PSEG CEO

Dive Brief: Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) has completed the sale of its fossil fuel generation portfolio, including 6,750 MW in New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and New York. That leaves the company more than 90% regulated and focused on reaching net-zero emissions by 2030, company leaders said Thursday during PSEG’s Q4 2021 earnings call with analysts. PSEG is now focused on “clean …

A guide: Nuclear power in Ukraine

With the attention of the world focused on events in Ukraine, one of the questions people are asking is about the country’s nuclear power industry. Here is a brief overview. How big is Ukraine’s nuclear power industry?   Ukraine is heavily dependent on nuclear energy, with 15 reactors generating about half of its electricity. All …

Ukraine’s invasion underscores Europe’s deep reliance on Russian fossil fuels

The conflict threatens to drive energy costs even higher, forcing nations to grapple with their deep dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to send troops into Ukraine spooked energy markets this week, amid fears that the escalating conflict and ensuing sanctions could disrupt global fossil-fuel supplies. Russia is one of the …

TerraPower and Southern Company to demonstrate the world’s first fast-spectrum salt reactor at Idaho National Laboratory

The Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment will provide crucial operational data for fast-spectrum salt reactors and unlock this uniquely flexible advanced reactor technology for use in a net-zero future TerraPower and Southern Company recently finalized a subrecipient agreement to design, construct and operate the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) – the world’s first critical fast-spectrum salt …