Nuclear Power

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said artificial intelligence is dangerous 'on the level of nuclear weapons', drawing attention to calls for stricter oversight of rapidly advancing AI technology. The remarks by the prominent Democratic governor add a high-profile political voice to the ongoing debate over the risks posed by powerful AI systems and how governments should regulate them.

The Nuclear Innovation Initiative-aligned group NSI is arguing that direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel, rather than interim storage or reprocessing, offers the fastest route to scaling up nuclear power. Writing in the American Nuclear Society's Nuclear Newswire, the group contends that removing the spent-fuel bottleneck would let new reactors deploy sooner, a claim likely to fuel ongoing debate over waste policy among industry and policymakers.

A commentary published by the Arkansas Advocate argues that companies developing artificial intelligence could learn from the history of nuclear weapons safety. Drawing parallels between the two technologies, the piece suggests that decades of protocols, oversight and institutional caution built around nuclear arms offer a model for managing powerful AI systems before accidents occur.

A new analysis argues that solar power is now outperforming nuclear energy on its own strongest selling point, challenging long-held assumptions about which technology offers the best path to reliable, clean power at scale. The comparison has sparked debate among energy watchers about cost declines in solar and storage versus nuclear's baseload credentials.

US senators expect a vote after the midterm elections on the Trump administration's nuclear power agreement with Saudi Arabia. The pact, which would allow American companies to participate in Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy programme, still requires congressional approval, and lawmakers say the timing will depend on the outcome of the November elections.

The United States says it has reached a nuclear power agreement with Saudi Arabia, according to a report by EnergyNow. The deal would involve American cooperation on civil nuclear energy in the kingdom, a longstanding goal of US-Saudi energy talks. Details of the agreement, including its terms and any safeguards commitments, were not immediately available.

The United States has carried out a blast simulation aimed at investigating allegations that China is conducting secret nuclear weapons tests, the South China Morning Post reports. The move highlights growing US concern over China's nuclear expansion and compliance with the international testing moratorium, amid broader tensions between the two powers over arms control and strategic stability.

A new analysis traces the long history of civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and China, examining how the two countries have partnered on peaceful atomic energy even amid deep strategic rivalry. The piece explores what decades of shared nuclear technology and commerce reveal about the current state of the relationship and its future.

A Spanish-language intelligence commentary uses the fable of a fox that wants the forest to fear it without ever attacking to explain deterrence: the difference between capability and intention, and the power of perception in threats. The piece points readers to a full guide on verifying nuclear-related language expected around September 2026, framing deterrence as a matter of signalling rather than action.

Candidates running for Utah's 3rd Congressional District faced off over two issues central to the state's land and energy politics: the future of national monuments and whether nuclear power should expand in Utah. The debate reflects long-running tensions between conservation of federal public lands and development interests in the state.

Discussion is focused on how soon small modular reactors could realistically be deployed. The debate centres on whether SMR technology is genuinely near commercial readiness or still years away, with questions about costs, regulatory approvals and construction timelines dominating the conversation as interest in nuclear power as a climate solution grows.

Wisconsin utility We Energies has reached an agreement to supply an Oracle data center with nuclear power. The deal reflects the growing demand from technology companies for reliable, low-carbon electricity to run large data centers supporting cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Details on the plant, timeline and financial terms have not yet been made public.

Analysts are questioning whether the wave of nuclear energy startups is good for the industry. The argument: dozens of small companies chasing advanced reactor designs may fragment funding, talent and regulatory attention, slowing the few projects capable of actually delivering. Critics counter that competition spurs innovation, but the concern is that too many unproven ventures could undermine confidence in nuclear power at a critical moment for its revival.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has issued Update 369, a statement from Director General Rafael Grossi on the situation in Ukraine. The regular briefings track nuclear safety and security at Ukrainian nuclear facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under Russian occupation since the early months of the war and remains a persistent source of international concern.