Latest news with #nuclearenergy
Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
Senate confirms Trump pick to lead independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Senate confirmed its first nominee of the week ahead of what is expected to be a jam-packed schedule to ram through as many of President Donald Trump's picks as possible. David A. Wright, Trump's pick to lead the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a five-year term, was confirmed in the upper chamber on a 50 to 39 vote on Monday. It's not Wright's first time as chair of the commission, having first served in the role beginning in 2020. Trump had previously tapped Wright during his first term, and again selected him to lead the NRC earlier this year. His new term is set to end in 2030. The NRC is an independent regulatory agency tasked with regulating commercial nuclear power plants, reactor licensing and renewal and other elements related to protecting public health and safety when it comes to nuclear energy. Wright's confirmation comes on the heels of Trump's announcement that the U.S. and European Union were entering a trade deal that would see the bloc purchase $750 billion of U.S. energy over the next three years. While the commission is independent from other arms of the government, Senate Democrats have balked at recent attempts to make the regulatory body, in their view, more partisan. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order that demanded the agency consider making its safety standards less stringent, shortening the timelines for environmental reviews and a quadrupling of the nation's nuclear power capacity by 2050: all part of the president's quest to ensure America's energy dominance. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., argued that over the last seven years that Wright has been a part of the commission, first as a commissioner beginning in 2018 and then as chair, he would fulfill the president's wishes. "Achieving this will require experienced and highly qualified Commissioners who are empowered to lead the Agency through a period of high expectations," she said in a statement. "Well, David Wright meets that mark." Then Trump fired a Democratic member of the commission last month, and a staffer from the president's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was reportedly detailed from the Department of Energy to the regulatory agency. That prompted Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, to warn of a "hostile takeover" of the commission by the Energy Department. The move hurt what began as bipartisan support for Wright's nomination — Whitehouse initially backed him but changed his position. "I hoped to see Chairman Wright rise to the occasion, but circumstances right now at the NRC continue to deteriorate," he said in a statement. "I cannot presently support his renomination." Still, Wright's confirmation is a win for both Senate Republicans and the White House after Trump called on the Senate GOP to ram his nominees through blockades set up by Senate Democrats. There are now over 140 pending "civilian" nominations for positions across the gauntlet of federal agencies, ambassadorships and judgeships. The Senate has moved at a blistering clip over the last six months to confirm nominees—they've clocked nearly 100 so far — the president has called on Senate Republicans to consider canceling the forthcoming August break to get more done. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., warned that if his colleagues across the aisle continued to slow walk the process in the upper chamber for the slew of remaining "uncontroversial" nominees, or be prepared to stick around Washington. "Or they can rein in their reflexive anti-Trump sentiment and allow some of his rank-and-file nominees to proceed by unanimous consent or voice vote — just as Republicans did when the roles were reversed," he said. "And I'd remind my colleagues about the dangerous and ugly precedent that they're setting here. But the choice is theirs. But whether it's the slow way or the fast way, we're getting President Trump's nominees confirmed."
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
ENEC, Hyundai E&C sign MoU to advance global nuclear energy collaboration
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) today signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Seoul, Republic of Korea, to jointly explore international nuclear energy opportunities. The collaboration between ENEC and Hyundai E&C builds on the longstanding strategic partnership between the UAE and the Republic of Korea in the nuclear sector and supports both countries' shared goals to advancing peaceful nuclear energy in line with IEA and IAEA projections for a significant global scale-up of nuclear capacity by 2030 and 2050 respectively. The MoU provides a comprehensive framework for knowledge sharing, collaborative evaluation of project participation, and assessment of strategic investment opportunities. It also includes the formation of a joint working group to identify areas of mutual interest and support the development of future nuclear energy initiatives. ENEC is pursuing a new phase of investing in, collaborating with and consulting on both large nuclear reactors in addition to advancing new nuclear technologies both locally and internationally. With the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant fully operational, ENEC is now focused on working with global partners to support the acceleration of nuclear deployment and is committed to working with all responsible nations looking to deploy new nuclear or expand their existing fleets, and MOUs with companies such as Hyundai E&C are a clear demonstration of this approach. Hyundai E&C was the lead contractor in the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, and a proven contributor to the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, which is now recognised as a global benchmark for safe and efficient nuclear development. The signing follows a series of recent agreements between ENEC and leading global operators, technology developers, and energy companies. These partnerships form an integral part of ENEC's broader focus on identifying global investment, collaboration and deployment opportunities to support the rapid delivery of civil nuclear energy, driving energy security and sustainability through the provision of clean baseload electricity. The successful construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, earned Hyundai E&C high praise from the global nuclear industry for demonstrating its unique risk management and construction capabilities. As Korea and the UAE deepen their commitment to future cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear, Hyundai E&C also plans to expand the horizon of their cooperation as a strategic partner, building on the trust and experience developed during the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant project.
Emirates 24/7
2 days ago
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
ENEC, Hyundai E&C sign MoU to advance global nuclear energy collaboration
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) today signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Seoul, Republic of Korea, to jointly explore international nuclear energy opportunities. The collaboration between ENEC and Hyundai E&C builds on the longstanding strategic partnership between the UAE and the Republic of Korea in the nuclear sector and supports both countries' shared goals to advancing peaceful nuclear energy in line with IEA and IAEA projections for a significant global scale-up of nuclear capacity by 2030 and 2050 respectively. The MoU provides a comprehensive framework for knowledge sharing, collaborative evaluation of project participation, and assessment of strategic investment opportunities. It also includes the formation of a joint working group to identify areas of mutual interest and support the development of future nuclear energy initiatives. ENEC is pursuing a new phase of investing in, collaborating with and consulting on both large nuclear reactors in addition to advancing new nuclear technologies both locally and internationally. With the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant fully operational, ENEC is now focused on working with global partners to support the acceleration of nuclear deployment and is committed to working with all responsible nations looking to deploy new nuclear or expand their existing fleets, and MOUs with companies such as Hyundai E&C are a clear demonstration of this approach. Hyundai E&C was the lead contractor in the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, and a proven contributor to the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, which is now recognised as a global benchmark for safe and efficient nuclear development. The signing follows a series of recent agreements between ENEC and leading global operators, technology developers, and energy companies. These partnerships form an integral part of ENEC's broader focus on identifying global investment, collaboration and deployment opportunities to support the rapid delivery of civil nuclear energy, driving energy security and sustainability through the provision of clean baseload electricity. The successful construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, earned Hyundai E&C high praise from the global nuclear industry for demonstrating its unique risk management and construction capabilities. As Korea and the UAE deepen their commitment to future cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear, Hyundai E&C also plans to expand the horizon of their cooperation as a strategic partner, building on the trust and experience developed during the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant project.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First Hydrogen Expands SMR Design Collaboration with Renewable Thermal Laboratory at the University of Alberta to Advance Nuclear SMR Technology
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 28, 2025) - First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce, further to the Company's news release of June 9, 2025, the addition of Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) design in the collaboration with Professor Muhammad Taha Manzoor from the University of Alberta. The project will focus on fuel reactor materials, reactor design and reactor design optimization taking into consideration the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. SMRs offer some key benefits compared to traditional nuclear reactors: SMRs are compact and can be installed in remote locations, can be factory-fabricated and shipped to the site, scale incrementally with demand, are safer due to its simplified designs, potentially use fuels other than enriched uranium, longer periods between refueling and have lower upfront costs. Canada is globally recognized for its exceptional nuclear expertise, notably through its renowned CANDU (Canadian Deuterium-Uranium) reactors, widely considered among the safest and most reliable nuclear technologies in the world. Leveraging SMRs, First Hydrogen aims to deliver stable, cost-effective, and efficient process for producing green hydrogen, addressing the growing demand for clean energy solutions worldwide. By integrating advanced nuclear technology with green hydrogen production, the Company is positioned to meet rising global demand for clean energy. The Company is currently reviewing potential sites in Canada and Europe. First Hydrogen believes Canada's strong nuclear expertise and proven track record position its technologies as a leading choice for SMR development. Prime Minister Carney has endorsed SMR technology as crucial to ensuring energy independence and transforming the country into a leading energy superpower. As per the Government of Canada (January 8, 2025), there are currently five nuclear power plants situated in three provinces housing 22 nuclear power reactors. These power plants produce 15% of Canada's electricity. Notable Canadian SMR projects include Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) Darlington SMR initiative aiming to build four reactors, New Brunswick's focus on fourth-generation SMRs including ARC Clean Energy's development at Point Lepreau, and Saskatchewan's active exploration into SMRs for grid-scale power generation. Goldman Sachs projects that artificial intelligence will drive a 160% increase in data center power demand by 2030, reshaping global energy consumption. Unlike previous years when efficiency improvements offset growing workloads, AI's heavy computational needs-like a ChatGPT query using nearly 10× the electricity of a Google search-are overwhelming those gains. Currently responsible for about 1-2% of global electricity, data centers could reach 3-4% by decade's end, with AI accounting for 19% of that demand by 2028. U.S. utilities needing $50 billion in new generation capacity and Europe facing over $1.7 trillion in grid and renewable investments. (AI is poised to drive 160% increase in data center power demand | Goldman Sachs) Dr. Manzoor commented, "We are pleased to see our collaboration with First Nuclear expanding, as they broaden their small modular reactor (SMR) approach by integrating design elements and committing additional support to this challenging yet exciting endeavor. SMR design is a complex, multidisciplinary problem that requires assembling a diverse team of experts. We look forward to deepening our partnerships across Canadian academia and industry in the years ahead." About First Nuclear Corp. ( First Hydrogen Corp. is committed to developing and commercializing advanced clean energy solutions, including green hydrogen produced by state-of-the-art Small Modular Reactors. The Company aims to provide scalable, sustainable, and economically viable alternatives to meet global climate goals and enhance energy security. About First Hydrogen Corp. ( First Hydrogen Corp. is a Vancouver, Montreal, Germany and London UK-based company focused on zero-emission vehicles, green hydrogen production and distribution. The Company has designed and built two hydrogen- fuel-cell-powered light commercial vehicles ("FCEV"). The FCEV are road-legal in the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) with 6,000 km of testing completed and have achieved a range of 630+ kilometres on a single refueling. The vehicles have successfully been trialled in real-world conditions with fleet operators in the United Kingdom. On behalf of the Board of Directors of FIRST HYDROGEN CORP."Balraj Mann"Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Contact:Balraj MannFirst Hydrogen Corp.604-601-2018investors@ Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains information or statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward looking information may include, without limitation, statements regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, milestones, strategies and outlook of First Hydrogen, and includes statements about, among other things, future developments and the future operations, strengths and strategies of First Hydrogen. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are based on management's assumptions and analysis and other factors that may be drawn upon by management to form conclusions and make forecasts or projections, including management's experience and assessments of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Although management believes that these assumptions, analyses and assessments are reasonable at the time the statements contained in this news release are made, actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Examples of risks and factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from forward-looking statements may include: the timing and unpredictability of regulatory actions; regulatory, legislative, legal or other developments with respect to its operations or business; limited marketing and sales capabilities; early stage of the industry and product development; limited products; reliance on third parties; unfavourable publicity or consumer perception; general economic conditions and financial markets; the impact of increasing competition; the loss of key management personnel; capital requirements and liquidity; access to capital; the timing and amount of capital expenditures; the impact of COVID-19; shifts in the demand for First Hydrogen's products and the size of the market; patent law reform; patent litigation and intellectual property; conflicts of interest; and general market and economic conditions. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of First Hydrogen as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. First Hydrogen undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICE PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE To view the source version of this press release, please visit Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
On Singapore visit, IAEA head addresses nuclear waste and energy plans
SINGAPORE – Mr Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was in Singapore on July 25 to meet leaders and deliver a public lecture at NUS. To mark his first visit to Singapore, he also met the local media for an hour-long interview at Shangri-La Singapore. A range of issues were discussed, including on nuclear waste, Asia's bid to harness more nuclear energy and China's nuclear reactor manufacturing. Here are his takes. Q: What are the possible options for nuclear waste disposal in Asean? A: Mr Grossi said there are a number of steps involved in the proper disposal of nuclear waste. 'In the case of a nuclear power plant, for quite a long period, the spent fuel is stored at the site of the nuclear power plant,' he said. Spent fuel refers to nuclear fuel that has been removed after being used in a nuclear reactor. Used fuel is normally stored underwater – with the practice known as wet storage – for at least five years, before it is moved to dry storage, according to the World Nuclear Association. 'Eventually, with time, with decades passing, countries start to look into a final repository,' Mr Grossi said. The IAEA helps countries to determine this through a process known as siting, he added. 'What is done here is a very thorough geological analysis to determine which place (in) a country has geological conditions that would allow for the storage of a few containers of spent fuel that are going to be there without any leaks or without affecting the environment.' Q: What is the appetite for nuclear energy in Asia and South-east Asia? A: Mr Grossi said there is 'a lot of activity' in the region, citing Japan, China and South Korea as examples of countries that are ramping up their nuclear energy capacities. On Asean, he said: 'There is a real interest. I don't know if they're going to be able to deploy (nuclear energy) by the early 2030s, but they are going in that direction.' During a public lecture he delivered at the National University of Singapore on July 25, Mr Grossi said countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam are also planning to have nuclear power plants. 'On the feasibility of each case, (the IAEA) will be seeing it individually. We will be engaged, and we are,' he said. 'The issue of the timeline is a national thing.' The UN nuclear body has a method to assist countries that are considering or planning their first nuclear power plant. The IAEA also guides them through the process, from the decision-making to final investment and construction. Q: China is building small modular reactors. Is this the latest technology for nuclear power plants? A: Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced and compact reactors that can be factory-assembled and installed in dense urban areas. They are also known to be safer than traditional large reactors, but are currently still in a research phase. Noting that Chinese technology is 'very developed', Mr Grossi said China might be one of the potential vendors of SMRs for Singapore if the Republic decides to tap nuclear energy. 'I think that China is perhaps the fastest-growing country in terms of the number of units being built at this point in time, and that creates a lot of expertise and a lot of experience,' he said. According to the IAEA's website, China operates 58 civil nuclear reactors and has almost 30 new builds in progress. This represents nearly half of all power reactors currently under construction worldwide. The nation is expected to leapfrog the US to become the world's largest atomic energy generator by the end of the decade, Bloomberg reported in April. Q: How does the IAEA strike a balance between its two roles as the international authority for nuclear power and as the global watchdog for nuclear security? A: Mr Grossi said that the IAEA is an impartial institution. 'I think every country that is operating normally and safely and with no proliferation concerns is a member of the IAEA in good standing,' he said. Nuclear non-proliferation refers to efforts aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology. He added that these countries are transparent and undergo inspection by IAEA. They also carry out safety and security reviews and participate actively in the regulatory activities. 'The IAEA is an impartial institution that is there in support,' Mr Grossi said, adding that the institution will share best practices and advice with countries. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
