The Energy Department will lend $1 billion to Constellation Energy to support the restart of Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, which will supply electricity to Microsoft data centers under a 20-year agreement. Constellation is refurbishing the plant's equipment and plans to bring its 835-megawatt reactor back online in 2027. The loan comes from a $250 billion federal program created in 2022 to upgrade and expand US energy infrastructure.

The Trump administration's drive to revive large-scale nuclear development is running into resistance from utilities wary of cost overruns, long timelines and volatile power-demand forecasts. Leaders at companies including Exelon and Duke Energy say they prefer lower-risk generation such as gas, solar and battery storage until there is clearer protection for investors and ratepayers. Experts warn that without utility commitment, plans to expand domestic enrichment, build new reactors and maintain US nuclear competitiveness against China will stall.

Orano and Capgemini have unveiled Hoxo, an AI-powered humanoid robot designed for complex tasks inside nuclear facilities. The system combines real-time perception, advanced sensors and autonomous navigation, and will undergo a four-month evaluation at Orano's Melox site in France to assess its mobility, precision and ability to work safely alongside human operators. "This project brings together robotics, AI, computer vision and digital twins in a way that truly redefines how humans and machines collaborate in sensitive environments," said Capgemini's Cara Antoine.

Talks at the COP30 summit in Brazil are at a critical juncture, with a draft agreement released on Tuesday indicating lingering divisions about how to aid developing countries as they adjust to climate change. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to return to the talks, potentially aiding negotiations.

US and Saudi officials have wrapped up negotiations on a nuclear technology cooperation framework that could open major opportunities for American reactor builders, though a formal 123 Agreement with strict non-proliferation conditions has not yet been secured. The pending agreement is generating both optimism for expanded commercial ties and concern from lawmakers, with key questions remaining about whether the deal will include restrictions on uranium enrichment that Saudi Arabia has previously resisted.

A coalition of state legislatures representing many of the states in PJM Interconnection's service area is seeking support for the Protecting Ratepayers Proposal -- a strategy that would allow data center interconnections, but only if they're curtailed during periods of peak demand to curb costs. The approach is similar to PJM's previous "non-capacity-backed load" proposal, which was dropped amid opposition from data center operators and tech giants. PJM is now evaluating a "price-responsive demand" structure, which it says would operate like voluntary NCBL. It remains to be seen whether PJM can strike a balance to support data center growth while maintaining low prices and grid reliability.

TRISO-X has started vertical construction of the TX-1 advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn., marking a major milestone for US nuclear energy. The plant will be the first in the US to exclusively manufacture fuel for advanced small modular reactors, particularly X-energy's Xe-100, and is expected to produce enough fuel for up to 11 reactors annually.

The Army has identified nine installations in Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, New York, Texas, Alaska, Tennessee, Washington and Alabama as candidates for microreactor deployment under its Janus Program, with the first units expected to come online by 2030. Not all locations may ultimately be selected, but the service plans a broader rollout in the following decades as power needs rise.