Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Video recording of RIC2026 Technical Session: TH18 - Powering the Future: Innovations in Nuclear Fuel and Regulatory Strategy
Note: the subtitles are 90% accurate.
The commercial nuclear industry is charging ahead with bold innovations to enable increased power generation capability across the Nation’s light-water reactor fleet. This session dives into the evolving regulatory and technical landscape enabling these advancements, spotlighting achievements like topical reports for licensing analysis methods for advanced fuel technologies and cutting edge research on fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal.
Panelists will connect the dots between these technical efforts and national policy drivers like Executive Order 14300 and the ADVANCE Act, which are accelerating changes to how we regulate, allowing industry to achieve their goals in increasing the national energy supply. Expect a rich mix of insights from NRC experts, DOE national laboratories, industry leaders, and international regulators—all offering a 360-degree view of where we are, what is ahead, and how we plan to get there. The panelists will also weigh in on what is on the horizon for further utilization of similar technologies in the long term.
SESSION CHAIR(S):Jen Whitman, Director, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC, Opening Remarks
SPEAKER(S):
Chris Van Wert, Senior Technical Advisor for Reactor Fuel, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC
Powering the Future: Innovations in Nuclear Fuel and Regulatory Strategy
Jason Piotter, Acting Chief, Containment, Thermal, Chemical, and Fire Protection Branch/New Fuels Team Leader, Division of Fuel Management, NMSS/NRC, Fuel Cycle , Update for Next Gen Fuels
Nathan Capps, Senior R&D Staff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Accelerating Innovation by Integrating Advanced Modeling, Simulation, and Experimentation
John Harrell, Director, Nuclear Analysis & Fuel and Regulatory Assurance, Dominion Energy
Application of ATF Features to Enable Dominion Energy Nuclear Fleet 24-Month Refueling Cycles
SESSION COORDINATORS(S):
Ankur Bhattacharya, Project Manager, NRR/NRC tel: (301) 415-1547, e-mail: Ankur.Bhattacharya@nrc.gov
Video recording of RIC2026 Technical Session: TH18 - Powering the Future: Innovations in Nuclear Fuel and Regulatory Strategy
Note: the subtitles are 90% accurate.
The commercial nuclear industry is charging ahead with bold innovations to enable increased power generation capability across the Nation’s light-water reactor fleet. This session dives into the evolving regulatory and technical landscape enabling these advancements, spotlighting achievements like topical reports for licensing analysis methods for advanced fuel technologies and cutting edge research on fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal.
Panelists will connect the dots between these technical efforts and national policy drivers like Executive Order 14300 and the ADVANCE Act, which are accelerating changes to how we regulate, allowing industry to achieve their goals in increasing the national energy supply. Expect a rich mix of insights from NRC experts, DOE national laboratories, industry leaders, and international regulators—all offering a 360-degree view of where we are, what is ahead, and how we plan to get there. The panelists will also weigh in on what is on the horizon for further utilization of similar technologies in the long term.
SESSION CHAIR(S):Jen Whitman, Director, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC, Opening Remarks
SPEAKER(S):
Chris Van Wert, Senior Technical Advisor for Reactor Fuel, Division of Safety Systems, NRR/NRC
Powering the Future: Innovations in Nuclear Fuel and Regulatory Strategy
Jason Piotter, Acting Chief, Containment, Thermal, Chemical, and Fire Protection Branch/New Fuels Team Leader, Division of Fuel Management, NMSS/NRC, Fuel Cycle , Update for Next Gen Fuels
Nathan Capps, Senior R&D Staff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Accelerating Innovation by Integrating Advanced Modeling, Simulation, and Experimentation
John Harrell, Director, Nuclear Analysis & Fuel and Regulatory Assurance, Dominion Energy
Application of ATF Features to Enable Dominion Energy Nuclear Fleet 24-Month Refueling Cycles
SESSION COORDINATORS(S):
Ankur Bhattacharya, Project Manager, NRR/NRC tel: (301) 415-1547, e-mail: Ankur.Bhattacharya@nrc.gov
