Nuclear Agency Nominees Stress Work on New Reactors, Fuel Supply

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission should work with advanced reactor developers and uranium enrichment companies to expedite federal approvals following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two nominees to the commission told lawmakers Wednesday.

Commission staff should be able to process applications for high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel, which is currently supplied by Russia and used for advanced reactors, nominees Annie Caputo and Bradley Crowell told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The nominees, if confirmed, would give the commission a full slate of five members.

The hearing came as the Biden administration seeks such a domestic supply to wean the country off ...