NECX debut: Shaping the next era of energy

The sold-out inaugural Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX) got off to a bumping start in Atlanta, Ga., Tuesday morning with an opening plenary that felt like part dance party and part highlight reel showing off the latest industry achievements.

That intro left the audience pumped up for Entergy's CEO and NEI chair Drew Marsh, who welcomed everyone to the event, hosted jointly by the American Nuclear Society and the Nuclear Energy Institute. He spoke to a full house of more than 1,300 attendees, promising a blend of science, technology, policy, and advocacy centered around the future of nuclear energy.

Marsh set the stage by outlining the significant momentum that the nuclear industry continues to build, emphasizing the rising electricity demand driven by increased industrial activity, technology, and data centers. Before inviting ANS Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy and NEI President Maria Korsnick to the stage for a Q&A, Marsh highlighted the bipartisan efforts currently boosting support for nuclear energy around the country.

Milestones, priorities, and challenges: When asked about milestones, Piercy said the most significant date is less than a year away. "I think the first one to watch is July 4th of next year, because the administration intends to see new reactors going critical by that date, setting some really aggressive timelines," Piercy said.

As the discussion shifted to identification of challenges and priorities, the focus was on early support for "first movers" in the industry, enhanced communication to attract financial investments, and a robust focus on the workforce.

To get to that first milestone and beyond, Korsnick said, "Early movers, financial investment, and fuel supply are top priorities we must focus on." Piercy agreed with those priorities, adding, "The NRC needs to use its new tools effectively to keep pace with the industry's resurgence. I think if we can address these areas, we're going to be off and running," he said.

The Q&A was followed by an address from Georgia Power CEO Kim Green; a panel session looking at building the new generation of nuclear reactors moderated by Duke Energy's Kelvin Henderson and featuring Andrew Richards (TerraPower), Dinkar Bhatia (X-energy), Nicole Holmes (GE Vernova Hitachi), and Evan Cummings (Kairos Power).

The second panel session of the morning, which looked at subsequent license renewals and power uprates for the current fleet of reactors, was moderated by NEI's Doug True and featured Brad Berryman (Talen Energy), Cleve Reasoner (Evergy), Rick Libra (Southern Nuclear), and Chris Mudrick (Constellation).

The packed schedule also included educational sessions broken into eight tracks:

• Advanced Nuclear

• Emergency Preparedness
• Innovation
• Plant Reliability & Engineering
• Regulatory Affairs
• Supply Chain
• Workforce Development
• Security

Wednesday promises to be just as rich with top sessions focusing on innovative partnerships, growth solutions for meeting new demand, and partnerships in global supply-chain features. The networking potential, insights from thought leaders in the industry, and sheer energy of the event are making the inaugural NECX a must-see.

Don't miss out: Make sure to mark your calendars for August of next year, when ANS and NEI will be heading to Dallas, Texas, for the 2026 NECX. The presentations, conversations, knowledge sharing, and networking are sure to be second to none, judging from the excitement here in Atlanta. See you at NECX year.