The DOE lays off thousands of workers, now asking for VOLUNTEERS to perform safety analysis for novel nuclear power plant designs.

NEW: Trump's new Reactor Pilot Program is rushing to build at least 3 experimental reactor designs by July 4, 2026. Here's a deep look at the program and why it's raising safety concerns. For the nuke nerds, I'll also highlight what's new in this 🧵 www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n...

NOT TODAY, TEXAS!! 😋 SCOTUS rules narrowly in favor of the NRC's authority to license an interim spent fuel storage facility in West Texas. The merits of the case were not examined. Rather, Fasken & Texas could not become parties to judicial review. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...

Republicans and especially the Trump administration, are doing all they can to prevent the clean energy transition. Nuclear isn't just caught in the crossfire. It has a target on its back.

The NRC has determined Diablo Canyon is safe to operate for another 20 years! Thanks, in part, to a $6B grant authorized within the IIJA (Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), DCNP was brought back from the brink of early retirement. #NukeSky

We're about to get a Chornobyl-level drop in public approval for nuclear energy. This is by design. People will rightfully become skeptical after headlines like, "Trump EO rolls back regulations on nuclear safety." Siting becomes 10x harder. In the end, they'll blame the Dems.

Amy Roma has a great article out for Nuclear Newswire on the two NRC lawsuits involving Texas: www.ans.org/news/2025-05... #NukeSky

@hankgreen.bsky.social Crash Coursing my whole Democrats-are-better-for-nuclear-energy manifesto was not on my 2025 bingo card.

"Hey, the NRC is moving too slow. How should we fix it?" Trump Admin.: "Reduce staff, order them to rewrite everything from scratch, and... oh yeah, add another layer of bureaucracy. 👏👏 That ought to do it.

Even the Trump DOJ thinks that Texas, Utah, and Florida's interpretation of the Atomic Energy Act - which they say would prohibit the NRC from licensing small reactors - is bogus. #NukeSky storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Is this the beginning of the end of the second nuclear renaissance? Or will these moves force the consolation of dozens of nuclear startups into two or three viable candidates? #NukeSky subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...

Conservative leaning #nuclearenergy advocates have praised Sen. CAPITO. Some calling her, "the most pro-nuclear representative in Congress." Turns out the coal-to-nuclear transition can wait a little while longer - I suppose. #nukesky

The states of Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Florida, and Arizona along with several nuclear startups are suing the NRC to effectively ban SMRs in the United States by passing regulatory authority off from the federal government to local and state governments. #NukeSky

I'm thinking about all those people out there working in energy regulation for whom "tariff" means something entirely different.

I'm a product of the first "nuclear renaissance" and I remember standing in front of the TV on my way to class in October 2008, watching the stock market plummet, and not realizing that it would mean for my career. Today feels like that. #NukeSky

100% agreement from me with Senator Risch. Now let's see his home state of Idaho repeal its anti-nuclear laws prohibiting spent fuel imports. Then build a state-of-the-art interim storage facility. That'll show those hippies how safe nuclear waste really is. #nukesky

Hang it up, fellas! We've figured out what's been holding nuclear back and it's women and minorities. Fully expect 30 SMRs built by 2030. 🙄 #nukesky

I'm going to have to read ABUNDANCE, now, aren't I?

The first #NuclearEnergy renaissance never took shape because of dropping natural gas prices, the '09 recession, and a general resistance to doing anything about climate change. How will we get this one over what's looking like very similar hurdles? #NukeSky

You can now listen to the recording of the oral arguments made in NRC v. Texas from last week's SCOTUS hearing. #NukeSky www.oyez.org/cases/2024/2...

Oral Arguments in NRC v. Texas at SCOTUS just wrapped up. Here's some take aways #NukeSky: 1. There's some confusion as to what "spent nuclear fuel" even is. The NRC and Interim Storage Partners (ISP) argue that the NRC is authorized by the Atomic Energy Act to issue materials licenses...

🔥🔥🔥 Justices Thomas and Alito clearly confused about *what* nuclear waste *is.*

Oral arguments in NRC v Texas is off to a strong start. As expected, Hobbs Act argument taking the lead both with the NRC's lawyer and in questioning from the Justices.

What will nuclear advocates be saying when Germany connects more nuclear to their grid than the U.S. does? #NukeSky

ENRON is entering a highly competitive industry of tabletop sized nuclear power plants.

It's happening... "According to an NNSA employee, roughly 300 of the agency's 1,800 staff are expected to be fired after the agency was denied a national security exemption." #NukeSky www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...

How it started v. How it's going

If there's more of this happening, especially near us in central PA - please let me know about it. We can plan a trip to see our research reactor, travel to you, or talk to you about #nuclear science remotely. #DEI #STEM #education

AIKEN COUNTY is back in the news as Federal judges around the country begin to stop the Trump administration from withholding Congressionally appropriated funds. A short breakdown of this case for #NukeSky: When Obama was elected in 2009, one promise he made to Nevada and Harry Reid...

If you work in a University or Hospital and you have been told by supervisors NOT to talk to press/media about anything related to the Trump communications freeze, my signal is Kaburbank.77

Buttigieg is a rockstar.

“There’s a lot of people who are running scared and trying to appease [the new administration],” said a recipient of the email, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. “This is a violation of the court order.” newrepublic.com/post/191411/...

Nuke Advocates in 2021: "Nuclear energy is clean energy!" Nuke Advocates in 2025: "Nuclear energy is NOT clean energy! Plz don't defund us, Elon." #NukeSky

If I could predict the future, my stock portfolio would challenge the Pelosi's. That said - here's my predictions for nuclear energy under the Trump administration: 🧵

How it started. How it’s going.

The new ENRON is clearly a bit. One which I'm fully on board with.

"If you zoom in on this frame and use the background to measure the velocity and arm angle... comparing it to a known example of the salute, I don't think there's clear and obvious video evidence to reverse the call on the field."

In a *shocking(/s)* move, Trump signs an executive order [in part] blocking Part 53 licensing rules for SMRs from being published until his political appointees are in place and can review it. I'm not sure that naming David Wright as the NRC Chair fulfills this prerequisite or not. #Nukesky

“Leaving the W.H.O. would mean, among other things, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would have no access to the global data that the agency provides.” By @sherylnyt.bsky.social

President Trump has pardoned 1,500 people who stormed the Capitol four years ago to block his successor from taking office, including 174 charged with using weapons or assaulting police and conspirators who plotted "to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power."

Just like the first time around - we're going to focus too much on stuff like Elon giving a Nazi salute and not enough on the fact that legal immigrants awaiting entry had their forms digitally disappeared in an instant.

Something to look forward to!

This article has been making the rounds in the Bad Place, being used an example for why SMRs and Microreactors aren't changing the anti-nuclear rhetoric. The idea seems to be that nuclear, big or small, will have a public perception hurdle - so why not just build big? oilprice.com/Alternative-...

Randall must be spending a lot of time on energy t****** lately - and he doesn't like it. imgs.xkcd.com/comics/uncan...

Take aways from the Chris Wright hearing today: He's full of empty promises. No to Yucca, but will clean up Hanford unlike every other DOE for the past 45+ years. Will deploy SMRs, but won't say how. Won't touch the IRA, unless told to. 3/10, will easily be confirmed, new pair of can kicking boots

Chris Wright doesn't seem interested in reviving Yucca Mountain. #NukeSky

A little radiacwash and some elbow grease will take care of those counts. xkcd.com/3037/

“Energy abundance” is a catchy slogan wide enough to navigate a tanker through - that’s the appeal. No tough choices. No metric to prioritize resources or investments other than a vague notion of maximizing energy production. Anything goes as long as it’s branded pro-abundance.