Recapping ECA’s Forum on Hosting New Nuclear Development
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) hosted a forum on new nuclear development from August 3-5, where potential host communities, advanced nuclear developers, the U.S. Department of Energy, and academia convened for a first-of-a-kind meeting.
Networking sessions and exhibit areas allowed the diverse group of stakeholders to share best practices, make new connections, and learn about new nuclear projects in communities across the country.
Day 1 of the Forum included remarks from Dr. Kathryn Huff, DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy; panels featuring case studies about projects already making progress on the ground; and sessions on licensing and creating stakeholder alignment. Other key federal officials providing remarks included Todd Shrader, Deputy Director for Project Management for DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and Commissioner David Wright of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Our takeaways from Day 1 are available here.
On Day 2 of the Forum, participants heard from more communities through case study sessions about Oak Ridge, TN and Portsmouth, OH. Other sessions included an overview of nuclear energy policies in state legislatures, a discussion on strategic partnering, and an outlook from a community-based organization focusing on nuclear energy issues in Europe.
In order to make progress on new nuclear energy projects, this type of communication between host communities will continue to be key. Additionally, having the developers, federal officials, and tribal officials in the same room allow for stakeholders to find alignment of priorities and address the issues discussed at the ECA Forum.
Concluding the Forum, ECA Director of Nuclear Policy Kara Colton highlighted the importance of coordination among the parties seeking to advance new nuclear development: “Communication is something we can all work together on, and bringing our perspectives together will create a more holistic message.”
To coincide with the Forum, ECA published a new paper, Why Local Governments and Communities Support New Nuclear Development. The paper details ECA’s perspective on the role local governments will play in demonstrating and deploying new nuclear projects. As we explain, nuclear can:
Provide a reliable source of clean and carbon free energy;
Create economic diversity and workforce opportunities;
Make the region and community economically competitive; and
Allow for energy independence, reliability, and security.
