Erik Funkhouser is executive director of the Good Energy Collective, a policy research organization. Long heralded as the future of clean power, nuclear energy has a history of perpetually disappointing its champions, faltering amid cost overruns, political backlash and public fear. It’s the technology of the future and always will be — so goes the familiar refrain.  But now, something unfamiliar is taking shape.   A global resurgence of interest in nuclear energy is gaining momentum. It points to a deeper paradigm shift across multiple domains — from public perception to technology, finance and the environment — and broad geopolitical considerations. Talk of a nuclear renaissance is back, but this time it’s different, focused less on “if,” more on “how.”  This shift is most visible in the steady cascade of project announcements and policy developments punctuating the news cycles: Billions in investment from tech giants Microsoft, Amazon and Google; an unprecedented groundswell of startup activity and greenlighting of new reactor designs; a series of landmark policy reforms, such as the ADVANCE Act and reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act and the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act. These developments coincide with a global upsurge in power demand propelled in part by the AI revolution, as well as the need to complement growth in intermittent sources with clean, firm, dispatchable energy, and to expand access to energy.  Amid this confluence of factors, nuclear has emerged as a uniquely qualified solution to stubbornly intractable problems at an oddly opportune moment. How did we get here?  Public perception and environmental concerns In previous eras, nuclear power was pitched largely on the promise of energy security and long-term cost savings. But now, the stakes are higher: The existential challenge of climate change has elevated carbon-free energy from a “nice-to-have” to a global imperative.  Climate thought leaders

North America added 17 rigs week on week, according to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was released on July 18. The U.S. added seven rigs and Canada added 10 rigs week on week, taking the total North America rig count up to 716, comprising 544 rigs from the U.S. and 172 rigs from Canada, the count outlined. Of the total U.S. rig count of 544, 529 rigs are categorized as land rigs, 13 are categorized as offshore rigs, and two are categorized as inland water rigs. The total U.S. rig count is made up of 422 oil rigs, 117 gas rigs, and five miscellaneous rigs, according to Baker Hughes’ count, which revealed that the U.S. total comprises 485 horizontal rigs, 44 directional rigs, and 15 vertical rigs. Week on week, the U.S. land rig count increased by seven, while the country’s offshore rig count and inland water rig count remained unchanged, the count highlighted. The country’s gas rig count increased by nine, its oil rig count dropped by two, and its miscellaneous rig count remained the same, week on week, the count showed. The U.S. horizontal rig count rose by seven, its directional rig count increased by one, and its vertical rig count dropped by one, week on week, the count revealed. A major state variances subcategory included in the rig count showed that, week on week, New Mexico added four rigs, Louisiana added two rigs, Colorado and Utah each added one rig, and Texas dropped two rigs. A major basin variances subcategory included in Baker Hughes’ rig count showed that, week on week, the Haynesville basin added three rigs and the Permian basin dropped two rigs. Canada’s total rig count of 172 is made up of 120 oil rigs and 52 gas rigs, Baker Hughes

Federal regulators on Friday rejected calls by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and its transmission owners that the grid operator’s independent market monitor be effectively barred from transmission planning oversight. MISO’s tariff “unambiguously” authorizes MISO’s market monitor to review and analyze actions that affect the competitiveness, economic efficiency and operation of the grid operator’s markets and services — and transmission planning is one of those actions, FERC said in a decision released Friday. “The [MISO] tariff authorizes the IMM to review and analyze MISO’s transmission planning activities and emphasizes that the IMM should consider the competitive or other market impacts of any MISO action governing or affecting any of the markets and services,” FERC said. MISO filed a petition for declaratory order on May 7 asking FERC to find that the grid operator’s tariff limits the market monitor’s involvement in transmission planning. The petition grew out of Potomac Economic’s criticism of MISO’s needs and cost-benefit analysis that underpinned its roughly $22 billion Tranche 2.1 transmission portfolio that was approved in December, according to filings at FERC. The market monitor argued that MISO overstated its transmission needs and the benefits from its proposed project portfolio. MISO transmission owners such as Ameren, Duke Energy and Entergy supported limiting Potomac Economics’ role in transmission planning. The petition was opposed by the Organization of MISO States, which represents state utility commissions, and consumer advocates. The dispute arose as electric utility bills have surged in the last four years, with millions of people struggling to pay their bills, FERC Chairman Mark Christie said in a concurring statement. “Despite the understandable concern and publicity over capacity market auction results in MISO and [the PJM Interconnection] over the past year, transmission costs are the single biggest driver of skyrocketing monthly power bills and have been for years,”

Qualus Corp. (Qualus), a U.S.-based power solutions firm and innovator, has acquired ADM Associates LLC (ADM), one of the nation’s leading energy research, evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V) firms. Qualus said in a media release that ADM brings expertise in advisory services, planning, program evaluation, regulatory compliance, energy modeling, data science, and software development, particularly in energy efficiency, demand response, and emerging technologies. “Expanding our expertise in energy efficiency has been a key part of our strategy to further enhance our ability to provide smart, efficient, and effective comprehensive solutions to complex energy transformation challenges”, Greg Herasymuik, President and CEO of Qualus, said. “Dr. Taghi Alereza has built a strong brand supported by an impressive team, and we are honored to welcome them to Qualus and be entrusted with ADM’s legacy”. ADM’s pioneering research for agencies such as the Department of Energy has established standards that are now industry benchmarks, Qualus noted. The company provides a wide array of integrated services, from developing strategies to help utilities implement new energy-saving technologies, to data science and software development for advanced energy analytics and AI integration, Qualus added. “We are very impressed with Qualus’ culture, leadership, capabilities, and strategic market position”, Alereza, ADM’s co-founder and CEO, said. “Qualus allows us to scale quickly and smartly, providing our services to more clients in the U.S. and Canada, while providing our team opportunities to grow professionally at an exciting time in our industry”. To contact the author, email [email protected] WHAT DO YOU THINK? Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed. MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR

Martin Midstream Partners LP has reported $2.41 million, or $0.06 per unit, in net loss for the second quarter, compared to a net loss of $1.03 million for the prior three-month period and a net profit of $3.78 million for Q2 2024. Q2 2025 results for the Gulf Coast-focused company were marked by lower land transport rates and product margins, which dragged down revenues to $180.68 million, compared to $184.53 million for Q2 2024. Kilgore, Texas-based Martin Midstream Partners maintained its dividend at $0.005 per unit for Q2 2025. “For the quarter, our Sulfur Services segment delivered sales volumes and margins that exceeded our internal projections”, said Bob Bondurant, president and chief executive of the general partner, Martin Midstream GP LLC. “This performance positioned the segment for a successful first half of the year as the Sulfur Services segment prepares to enter turnaround season during the third quarter. “In the Transportation segment, utilization in the marine business was slightly below expectations due to equipment repairs, which reduced cash flow for the quarter. Results from land transportation partially offset the shortfall from marine operations. Land transportation rates continued to show signs of pressure compared to internal projections, but lower-than-expected operating expenses contributed to improved cash flow. “Our Specialty Products segment faced temporary volume reductions this quarter in the grease business unit due to shifts in our customer portfolio, which we expect to normalize soon. At the same time, results from the lubricants business exceeded expectations and helped partially offset the underperformance in the grease business unit. “Lastly, the Terminaling and Storage segment delivered results slightly below our internal projections for the quarter due to higher operating expenses. However, the segment remains fundamentally stable, and we anticipate favorable performance over the second half of the year”. Sales of specialty products totaled $60.34 million

Oceaneering International, Inc. said its subsidiaries have been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited for services supporting Esso’s offshore operations in Angola Block 15. Oceaneering Angola, S.A. and Oceaneering Marine Technologies Ltd. entered into the contract, which began on July 1. The contract, awarded through a bidding process, is expected to generate $80 million to $90 million in revenue over its three-year term, Oceaneering said in a news release. The scope of work includes the provision of multiple work-class remote operated vehicles (ROVs), ROV tooling, intervention workover control systems (IWOCS), satellite communication systems, and subsea inspection, hydrate remediation, and engineering services. The services will be deployed from Esso-supplied facilities, intervention vessels, and drilling rigs, according to the release. Oceaneering Subsea Robotics Senior Vice President Martin McDonald said, “Securing this contract renewal with Esso, a key customer, through a competitive process reinforces our position as a trusted partner in Angola’s offshore energy sector. This award not only reflects our capabilities in [the] country for subsea robotics and intervention services but also supports our continued growth in a strategically important region”. Further, Oceaneering ‘s Aerospace and Defense Technologies (ADTech) segment was awarded a follow-on, single award, fixed price, indefinite-delivery, and indefinite-quantity contract to manufacture Virginia Class Submarine support equipment for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) of the U.S. Navy following a bidding process. Under the contract, which started in early June, Oceaneering is tasked with manufacturing work platforms to support maintenance for Virginia Class Submarines’ sail and vertical payload tubes. The contract value is approximately $33 million if all options are exercised over the five-year ordering period, the company said in an earlier statement. In June, Oceaneering’s Offshore Projects Group (OPG) segment entered into a vessel services agreement with an undisclosed major operator