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Doe

All articles tagged with #doe

energy9 days ago•9 min saved

U.S. hits milestone as three advanced SMRs reach criticality, but commercialization remains years away

Three U.S. advanced reactors backed by the Energy Department have reached criticality, meeting a July 4 target and signaling progress toward a nuclear renaissance, with Deployable Energy’s unit the third to go critical and Aalo Atomics expected to follow. While DOE touts momentum and the potential for quicker development, experts say commercial deployment could still take years due to licensing by the NRC, fuel supply challenges (HALEU), and financing hurdles, though a proposed rule could speed up regulatory reviews for approved designs.

via Politico|

#criticality #doe #energy

energy17 days ago•1 min saved

DOE Names Kavulla to Lead the Bonneville Power Administration

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Travis Kavulla as Administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration, tasking him with delivering affordable, reliable, and secure power to the Pacific Northwest; Under Secretary Kyle Haustveit will swear him in at BPA's Portland, Oregon headquarters on June 29.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|

#bonneville-power-administration #doe #energy

energy17 days ago•3 min saved

DOE Unveils $17.5B Plan to Rebuild U.S. Nuclear Supply Chain and Deploy 10 AP1000 Reactors

The U.S. Department of Energy issued a conditional $17.5 billion loan commitment to finance long-lead items for five projects that will deploy 10 Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, accelerating construction by up to three years and rebuilding the American nuclear supply chain. EDF will support up to five loans, each backing two reactors, with each project requiring $1 billion upfront equity ($500M from Westinghouse and $500M from a partner) and letters of intent from potential partners. Final financing depends on meeting technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions. The move aligns with President Trump’s goal of having 10 reactors under construction by 2030 and aims to reduce costs and timelines through bulk purchasing of equipment.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|

#ap1000 #doe #energy

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

DOE Unveils Roadmap to Fast-Track Fusion Power by the Mid-2030s

The U.S. Department of Energy released the finalized Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap to accelerate fusion energy development and commercialization, uniting science, infrastructure, workforce, and public-private partnerships under a Build-Innovate-Grow strategy to support fusion pilot plants and mid-2030s commercial power; progress hinges on future appropriations and partnerships rather than guaranteed funding, with AI/HPC and strong industry collaboration driving the effort.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|

#commercialization #doe #energy

energy1 month ago•7 min saved

DOE Limits Electrification in Reopened Home-Upgrade Rebates

The DOE published guidance for $8.8B in HOMES and HEEHR home-efficiency rebates, reopening funds but barring funding for switching from fossil fuels to electric heat, requiring insulation/air-sealing upgrades before appliances, and scrapping DEI/Justice40 considerations; states must adjust plans before funds are released, a move applauded by some for efficiency gains but criticized by advocates who say it narrows electrification and equity goals.

via Inside Climate News|

#doe #electrification #energy

politics1 month ago•15 min saved

Private Firms Eye Surplus Plutonium as Fuel for Next-Gen Reactors

The Energy Department has chosen five private companies for advanced negotiations to repurpose surplus Cold War plutonium into fuel for next‑generation reactors, a move supporters say could unlock private funding and spur domestic nuclear innovation, while critics warn it could increase weapons-usable material and revisit a failed 2018 effort. Oklo will work with Newcleo; other participants include Exodys Energy, SHINE Technologies, Standard Nuclear, and Flibe Energy.

via Gizmodo|

#advanced-reactors #doe #nuclear-energy

energy4 months ago•2 min saved

DOE Boots Up $171.5M to Scale U.S. Geothermal Testing and Drilling

The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding $171.5 million in a funding opportunity to support next‑generation geothermal field‑scale tests for electricity generation and exploration drilling to validate promising geothermal prospects. The first round will open with two topics focused on enhanced geothermal systems and hydrothermal resource characterization/confirmation. DOE says the effort could unlock large geothermal potential—up to about 300 GW by 2050—and is part of President Trump’s energy agenda; letters of intent are due March 27, 2026, with full applications due April 30, 2026.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|

#doe #energy #energy-policy

business4 months ago•8 min saved

Beard leads world's biggest energy lender to accelerate U.S. power, grid resilience

Gregory Beard has taken over the DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF), the world's largest energy lender with about $289 billion in loan authority, and is steering a rapid, results-focused expansion after a Biden-era turnaround that canceled or restructured roughly $83.6 billion in loans to prioritize affordability and reliability. The EDF will focus on six areas—nuclear; coal, oil, gas and hydrocarbons; critical minerals; geothermal; grid and transmission; manufacturing and transport—and aims to deploy a wave of loans (including potentially the largest ever), with EDF able to fund up to 80% of project costs for nuclear. The goal is to boost domestic generation, shore up the grid, and reduce China’s dominance over critical minerals while refinancing or building new capacity to lower power costs.

via CNBC|

#business #doe #energy-dominance-financing

energy-and-climate5 months ago•9 min saved

Cold snap tests US power grid as outages spread

Winter Storm Fern knocked out power for more than a million customers across the South as frigid conditions loom, pressuring the electric grid. PJM projected record winter demand and the Energy Department allowed full operation of grid resources while utilities mobilized tens of thousands of workers; gas prices surged and authorities warned the system could remain stressed through the week amid ice and falling temps.

via Politico|

#doe #electric-grid #energy-and-climate

technology5 months ago•2 min saved

US Aims Lunar Nuclear Power by 2030 for Artemis Missions

NASA and the Department of Energy sign a memorandum of understanding to co-develop a fission surface power system for the Moon, aiming to deploy a lunar surface reactor by 2030 to provide continuous power for Artemis missions and future Mars exploration, continuing a long-standing U.S. collaboration in space technology and national security.

via NASA (.gov)|

#artemis #doe #lunar

energy7 months ago•2 min saved

US invests $800M in small modular reactor development with TVA and Holtec

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected TVA and Holtec to support the deployment of small modular reactors in Tennessee and Michigan, with up to $800 million in funding, aiming to deliver new nuclear capacity by the early 2030s and strengthen domestic supply chains as part of a broader effort to expand America's energy independence and security.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|

#doe #energy #holtec

energy8 months ago•2 min saved

DOE approves $1.6B loan guarantee for Midwest transmission upgrades

The Energy Department finalized a $1.6 billion loan guarantee for American Electric Power to upgrade and rebuild 5,000 miles of transmission lines across five states, aiming to modernize the grid, expand capacity, and support economic growth, with the project benefiting from recent policy changes and emphasizing the role of government in strategic energy infrastructure.

via Axios|

#aep #doe #energy

politics9 months ago•2 min saved

White House and Energy Secretary Disagree on $30B Budget Cuts

The White House and Energy Secretary Wright are at odds over $30 billion in proposed cuts to the Department of Energy, with internal conflicts over project eliminations and leadership positions, amid political pressures from Republican lawmakers and disagreements over energy policies.

via Politico|

#budget-cuts #doe #energy-department

politics9 months ago•3 min saved

Energy Department Cancels $7.5B in Clean Energy Projects Amid Political Tensions

The Department of Energy canceled $7.56 billion in clean energy projects, primarily affecting states that voted for Kamala Harris in the last election, including major projects in hydrogen hubs and direct air capture, amid political and partisan tensions.

via TechCrunch|

#blue-states #cancelation #clean-energy

politics9 months ago•2 min saved

Energy Department Cancels $7.6 Billion in Clean Energy Grants Amid Political Controversy

The Energy Department has canceled $7.56 billion in clean-energy projects, mainly in Democratic-leaning states, citing concerns over project viability and economic return, sparking political controversy and accusations of political bias and setbacks for climate efforts.

via Axios|

#clean-energy #climate-policy #doe