Please stay safe and healthy, wherever you’re reading this week.
Rich Powell to Testify before House E&C Committee on COVID-19’s Impact on Energy Sector
On Tuesday, June 12, Rich Powell, ClearPath Executive Director, is set to testify as the Republican witness at The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing at 12:00pm entitled, “Reviving our Economy: COVID-19’s Impact on the Energy Sector.”See more about the hearing
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Lifts
Nuclear Energy Export Financing Ban
On Wednesday, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced it is lifting the prohibition on financing civilian nuclear energy exports and will commence a 30-day comment period on the rulemaking. In May 2019, ClearPath published a white paper on why DFC should allow nuclear energy export financing. Executive Director Rich Powell testified before the House Financial Services Committee that “we must ensure that previous bans on nuclear financing at OPIC do not carry over to
DFC.” In October 2019, a bipartisan group of Senators also urged the DFC to lift the ban. Read more
RICH’S TAKE
“By lifting the previous restrictions on the U.S. nuclear energy industry to develop internationally, America is taking a huge step to truly offer a competitive product – similar to the incentives China and Russia provide when they approach other countries with offers to develop infrastructure and energy,” Powell said in a statement to S&P Global Platts. Read the full article
“[Washington] must ensure that our companies, our innovators, and our clean-energy technologies have the best possible chance to compete internationally,” Powell told Reuters. Read the full article
Lithium and Critical Minerals Supply Chain 101
Are you aware of how many minutes you spend on your phone each week? On average, adults spend more than 3 hours a day on a smartphone, but have you ever paused to think about what your cell phone is made of? Sure there is a glass cover, some metal and plastic, but what about the battery?
Cell phones weigh ~7 ounces, and the battery is 1/5th of that. Most phones rely on a lithium-ion battery, which uses less than one gram (3/100ths of an ounce) of lithium as the “medium” for energy storage. As the lithium creates ions, they flow between anode and cathode to create a charge. Pretty cool, right?
But, for that tiny trace of lithium needed to be able to text Mom, the supply chain to get it is really complicated.
EXIM Working to Strengthen American Competitiveness
Last week, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) held a public virtual meeting with more than 150 participants. Part of the discussion touched on China and how it has fundamentally changed the nature of competition relative to export credit finance, as well as how EXIM can foster U.S. competitiveness and economic growth. Read more
RICH’S TAKE
“American exporters and innovators can’t afford to fall behind in the global marketplace. Advancing a sound export policy for critical clean energy technologies developed here in America, for instance, will create a bright future for U.S. businesses as well as the developing world. EXIM is taking a leadership role in advancing economic and national security and protecting the taxpayer.”
Rich Powell is a member of EXIM’s Advisory Committee.
Movers in the Executive Branch
On Tuesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote advanced the nomination of Mark Menezes to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy. Menezes’ nomination now heads to the Senate floor for a full chamber confirmation vote, but the vote has not yet been scheduled. Read more
On Wednesday, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted along party lines to advance the nomination of White House acting budget director Russ Vought. He has served as acting Office of Management and Budget chief since January 2019. On Thursday, the Senate Budget Committee voted 11-0 to advance the nomination to the full Senate floor. Read more
On Monday, Christopher T. Hanson was sworn in by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki as the fifth NRC Commissioner. Hanson was nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve the remainder of a five-year term expiring June 30, 2024. Hanson will begin serving his term immediately. Read more
David A. Wright, nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, also was sworn in Monday as an NRC Commissioner by Chairman Svinicki for a second term. His second term as Commissioner will begin July 1, 2020, and will end on June 30, 2025. Read more
Three Companies Combine to Build Micro Modular Reactor in Canada
Global First Power (GFP), Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation™ (USNC), and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) have formed a joint venture – the Global First Power Limited Partnership – to construct and operate a small nuclear reactor known as the Micro Modular Reactor (MMR™) Project at the Chalk River Laboratories site. The project development, licensing, construction, and operation of the commercial demonstration reactor will provide safe and sustainable low-carbon power and heat to industries, such as mining, and remote communities. Read more
E&C Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Chair Favors Nuclear Energy
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) is crafting legislation that aims to push the U.S. toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, including by the use of nuclear power. “Clean energy of any kind, including our nuclear energy, is an important factor as we go forward,” Tonko, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, said in an interview with POLITICO Live. Read more
RealClear Energy:
Bold American Strategy to Lead on Nuclear Energy
Recently, ClearPath Executive Director, Rich Powell joined an event hosted by DOE on the Trump Administration Strategy to Restore American Nuclear Energy Leadership: A DOE and Industry Discussion.
Last week RealClear Energy published an op-ed by Rich where he breaks down the Administration’s long view that a strong nuclear fuel supply industry will not exist without a thriving, growing demand for fuel.
“The strategy supports moonshot technology and robust American exports to build new reactors around the world…”
“Strategy is only as good as implementation, and this one can turn into reality — almost entirely by the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA).”
Forbes:
The Navy’s New Battlefield Needs Small Nuclear-Powered Warships
This op-ed offers a perspective on why the U.S. Navy should consider using nuclear power technologies at sea. The piece states nuclear power provides several advantages, including enhanced U.S. national security. Read more
E&E News:
Surging coal use in China threatens global CO2 goals
E&E News reported China permitted more new coal-fired power plants in March than it did in all of 2019 – reversing a two-year slowdown in China’s coal expansion. The build-out has significant stakes for the planet as China already consumes more than half the world’s coal. Read more
Houston Chronicle:
The smart policy bet for carbon neutrality
A University of Houston energy professor and graduate student co-authored an opinion piece on why policies that support direct air capture technology are important to aid in repairing the economy while meeting long-term climate objectives. Read more
Let’s Show the World We’re Serious About Nuclear Energy
In the industry, we would say the U.S. could benefit from a versatile, fast neutron source to accelerate the testing of advanced nuclear fuels, materials, instrumentation, and sensors to enable development and deployment of advanced reactor systems. In plain English, we need to get serious about having complete nuclear energy testing capabilities — ASAP.
Happening Today: The Breakthrough Institute is hosting a webinar today at 2:00pm ET entitled, “We Made Solar and Wind Cheap. Now What?”More details and register here
June 16: The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy will hold a hearing at 12:00pm entitled, “Reviving our Economy: COVID-19’s Impact on the Energy Sector.”
June 18: Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) are hosting an event, Clean Nuclear Energy for Industry: The Case for SMRs and Microreactors in Puerto Rico to discuss a recently released feasibility report. More details and register here
June 18: The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center and Nuclear Energy and National Security Coalition (NENSC) are hosting a panel discussion on the nuclear industry’s response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s recently released Nuclear Fuel Working Group (NFWG) report. More details and register here
June 24: Save the date! The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) is hosting a virtual event, “The State of the Nuclear Energy Industry 2020,” from 10:00am – 11:30am ET. More details and registration information forthcoming.
Rich Powell to Testify before House E&C Committee
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Lifts
Movers in the Executive Branch
Three Companies Combine to Build Micro Modular Reactor in Canada
E&C Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Chair Favors Nuclear Energy
RealClear Energy:
