Linda Gunter: On the Superhighway to Nuclear Hell. On May 23rd, with several strokes of his pen, President Trump issued orders that would roll back US energy policy about 50 years. On that day, Trump signed five Executive Orders (EOs): Restoring Gold Standard Science; Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base; Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy; and Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security. (This page keeps a running tally of all the White House executive orders.) All of this madness was announced in a press release headlined “President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Usher in a Nuclear Renaissance, Restore Gold Standard Science.” Just in case there was any confusion about what this meant, the press release included an explanation that read: “Gold Standard Science is just that—science that meets the Gold Standard.” Collectively, the four orders that focused on the nuclear sector would: reduce and undermine the already inadequate safety oversight authority of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); fast-track unproven new reactor projects without regard for safety, health or environmental impacts; curtail or possibly even end public intervention; weaken already insufficient radiation exposure standards; and reopen the pathway between the civil and military sectors, all while “unleashing” (Trump’s favorite verb) nuclear power expansion on a dangerous and utterly unrealistic accelerated timeline.
Counterpunch 6th June 2025 read more »
Social media giant Meta and Constellation Energy have entered a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to keep Illinois’ Clinton Clean Energy Center nuclear plant operational beyond 2027, securing 1,121MW of emissions-free electricity to support Meta’s regional operations.
New Civil Engineer 9th June 2025 read more »
Amazon.com said on Monday it plans to invest at least $20 billion in Pennsylvania to expand data center infrastructure, adding on to the billions of dollars the technology giant has committed to the expansion of artificial intelligence. This underscores Big Tech’s commitment to making hefty investments to support booming generative AI technology, as the world’s biggest companies race each other to deliver the most sophisticated AI models and cloud services.
Reuters 9th June 2025 read more »
The US has halted the issuance of export licences for companies supplying nuclear equipment to China’s power plants, amidst an escalating trade conflict between the two nations, as reported by Reuters. The suspensions were communicated by the Department of Commerce and impact licences for the export of parts and equipment essential for nuclear power operations. The decision is one among several measures in recent weeks that target supply chains between the two nations, reflecting a shift from tariff negotiations to direct action against each other’s industries.
Power Technology 9th June 2025 read more »
