
USNIC Western States Nuclear Workshop
In advance of
The Advanced Reactors Summit XII &
Technology Trailblazers Showcase
Under the auspices of the
U.S. Nuclear Industry Council
February 17, 2025
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
170 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, UT, 84101, US
Separate Registration Required
In conjunction with the Advanced Reactors Summit XII & Technology Trailblazers Showcase, the Western States Nuclear Workshop will take place on Monday afternoon, February 17, 2025, in Salt Lake City, at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City hotel, the same venue as the ARSXII.
This workshop will focus on Western state planning for advanced nuclear energy, exploring the role of next-generation nuclear systems in meeting growing electricity demands, including applications for data centers, mining, petrochemicals, and other industrial sectors seeking zero-carbon energy solutions.
The workshop will bring together state energy officials, public utility commissioners, and nuclear industry leaders for a strategic dialogue on energy planning and actionable next steps to enable nuclear deployment in the Western States. Speakers will represent key states such as Wyoming, Washington, Utah, and others.
Please Note:
Separate registration is required for the Western States Nuclear Workshop and the Advanced Reactors Summit XII.
Registering for one event does NOT include access to the other.
Advanced Agenda Topics
I. OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR IN THE U.S.
Review of recent data center, utility, and industrial public announcements regarding nuclear; new nuclear technology status including for Small Modular Reactors and microreactors; regulatory issues for nuclear; federal incentives for nuclear such as DOE Loan program, Inflation Reduction Act, and ADVANCE Act; factory assembly for fleet deployment; workforce and supply chain development, used fuel disposition or reprocessing, and other issues
II. PANEL ON STATE ENERGY PLANNING FOR NUCLEAR IN WESTERN STATES
How Western states are considering advanced nuclear for utility and industrial applications; economic and policy implications of nuclear including uranium mining, used fuel disposition, and workforce development; and state nuclear and other energy initiatives underway
III. PANEL ON ELECTRIC UTILITY NUCLEAR PLANNING IN WESTERN STATES
How electric utilities, state Public Utility Commissions, and industry in Western States are considering nuclear, including regulatory and siting issues such as early site permits, and cost recovery issues.
IV. NUCLEAR DEVELOPERS PERSPECTIVE
Brief overview of what developers need beyond money, including workforce development; how industry can assist state planning.
V. ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE NUCLEAR POSSIBLE IN WESTERN STATES-- LEGISLATION, REGULATION, PERMITTING SUPPORT, STATE ECONOMIC PROGRAMS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Promising applications for nuclear, how nuclear can be considered by current and future state initiatives and assessments, and what information do state energy offices and Public Service Commissioners need to support new nuclear build in the Western States.
Confirmed Speakers

Emy Lesofski
Director
Utah Office of Energy Development
Emy Faulkner Lesofski was appointed by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024 as his energy advisor and director of the Office of Energy Development within the Department of Natural Resources. Emy’s extensive career in public service and deep expertise in energy policy makes her well-suited for this role. She provides leadership in advancing innovative energy solutions and ensuring that Utah has access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Ms. Lesofski joins the Office of Energy Development from the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. She has built her career in public service as a staff director and policy advisor in both houses of Congress. Lesofski studied Political Science at Brigham Young University.

Mary Throne
Chairman
Wyoming Public Service Commission
Mary Throne was appointed by Governor Gordon to the Wyoming Public Service Commission, effective March 1, 2019, and reappointed her in 2021 for a full 6-year term. She began her term as Chairman of the Commission in March 2023. Mary serves as the Chair of the Western Interconnect Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB), is a member of the Western Interstate Energy Board’s Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation, serves as chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Clean Coal and Carbon Management Subcommittee, serves on NARUC’s Board of Directors, and is a member of NARUC’s National Council on Electricity Policy. Mary has served as a Co-Vice Chair of NARUC’s Energy Resources and Environment Committee and as a member of its FERC/NARUC Transmission Task Force, and is a current member of New Mexico State University’s Center for Public Utilities Advisory Council. Mary received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Princeton University in 1982 and her Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 1988. A Campbell County, Wyoming native, Mary returned to the state in 1992. Prior to joining the Commission, Mary represented the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality Division in the Office of the Attorney General and in private practice, she assisted a variety of energy, mineral and business clients with environmental compliance and permitting, industrial siting, and other regulatory issues. For ten years, Mary represented Cheyenne’s House District 11 in the Wyoming House of Representatives, serving as Minority Floor Leader for four years. Working in a bipartisan fashion, she played a key role in developing Wyoming’s landmark carbon capture and sequestration laws.

Ann Rendahl
Commissioner
Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission
Ann Rendahl was first appointed to serve as a commissioner of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission by Gov. Inslee in December 2014 for a six-year term that ended Jan. 1, 2021. Ann has been reappointed and confirmed to a second six-year term ending Jan. 1, 2027. Ann serves as the Second Vice President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, or NARUC, and serves as a member of the Committees on Electricity and Critical Infrastructure, prior chair of the Committee on Electricity, a member of the Executive Committee, and serves on the Board of Directors. Ann serves as a member of the Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ States Committee, and has served on the Body of State Regulators for the California ISO's Energy Imbalance Market. Ann also serves as a member of the Electric Power Research Institute's Advisory Council, and as a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for Public Utilities at New Mexico State University. Prior to being appointed as a commissioner, Ann served as the Director of Policy and Legislation for the UTC. Prior to leading the UTC’s Policy and Legislative Affairs Section, she served as the Director of the Administrative Law Division, as an administrative law judge for the UTC, and as an assistant attorney general representing the UTC. Ann is a graduate of Wellesley College. She received a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and her law degree from UC Law San Francisco.

VADM Fritz Roegge, USN (Ret.)
President, Holtec Government Services and
Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Holtec International
Fritz Roegge became President of Holtec Government Services in 2021 following a 30+ year Navy career. He also serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of the corporate parent, Holtec International – a billion-dollar technology and manufacturing innovation company supporting the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and clean energy industries that has been “A Generation Ahead by Design” since 1986. A career submarine officer, Fritz led organizations of progressively increasing size, budget, and complexity ranging from command of a single nuclear-powered submarine to command of the entire US Pacific Submarine Force – an enterprise of 40 submarines, 12,000 people, $160B capital assets, and $560M budget distributed across six states/territories, partner nations, and twelve time zones. His military career culminated as a three-star Admiral as President of the National Defense University in Washington, DC. Fritz is an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering; he earned a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Catholic University of America and a Master of Arts with highest distinction in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He was a fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI program for national security leaders and of the Harvard University Kennedy School National Security Executive Program.

Peter Hastings
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Quality
Kairos Power
Peter Hastings is the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Quality at Kairos Power and leads teams responsible for licensing and permitting activities, safety analysis and probabilistic risk assessment, quality assurance, and government affairs with a focus on establishing the regulatory basis for Kairos Power's reactor technology. Mr. Hastings previously ran a successful management and regulatory consulting firm and held prior positions as Director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for Generation Power, Licensing Manager for Duke Energy’s Nuclear Plant Development Division, and licensing and design-center lead NuStart Energy Development, LLC. Mr. Hastings’ background includes work as a reactor engineer responsible for startup testing and fuel performance monitoring, design engineer on the Monitored Retrievable Storage facility, manager in safety assurance and performance assessment for the Yucca Mountain repository, and licensing manager responsible for receipt of construction authorization for the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility. Mr. Hastings earned his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is a registered professional engineer in North and South Carolina.

Richard Mroz
Managing Director
Resolute Strategies
Richard (Rick) Mroz is the founder and managing director of Resolute Strategies, LLC and also Senior Director for Strategic & Regulatory Affairs at Archer Public Affairs in Trenton, New Jersey. He was the president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities from 2014 to 2018. Mr. Mroz has a long career in law and government, and is an advocate in securing and making the grid more resilient from cyber and physical attacks. He is an adviser to industry and commentator on energy and security issues.

Nicholas McMurray
Managing Director, International & Nuclear Policy
ClearPath
Nicholas (Niko) McMurray, Managing Director, International and Nuclear Policy, leads the development and execution of ClearPath’s international and nuclear policy portfolios to advance the organization’s mission and vision. Niko has expanded ClearPath’s nuclear energy technical and regulatory depth, allowing the organization to be a strong resource for members of Congress and other partners. Before joining ClearPath, Niko was a Materials Engineer at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). There, he developed and provided technical guidance on materials, component integrity, and licensing topics for new and advanced nuclear reactors. He has a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University.

Sean Schaub
Nuclear Industry Coordinator
Wyoming Energy Authority
Sean Schaub, Nuclear Industry Coordinator, Wyoming Energy Authority experience includes planning, evaluating and developing in-situ uranium mines for Wyoming’s largest uranium mining company, and consulting with Wyoming’s manufacturing companies to provide a wide range of growth and cost reduction solutions. Sean holds a geology degree from the University of Wyoming.

Andrew Harmon
Vice President, Operations & Business Development
Natura Resources
Andrew Harmon is Vice President of Operations and Business Development of Natura Resources, LLC. Natura is a privately owned advanced reactor development company focused on molten salt reactors and since the founding in 2020, Harmon has led the development strategy and investor relations. Andrew’s professional experience includes executive roles in finance/operations in the manufacturing industry and corporate development positions at Accenture, a global professional services company. Harmon was also a founding member of the advisory board of the NEXT Lab at Abilene Christian University (ACU). Prior to Natura, he spent two years working at ACU as the NEXT Lab Director of Commercialization & Development. Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from ACU and a M.S. in Technology Commercialization from McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Kelsey Jones
Program Director
National Association of State Energy Officials
Kelsey Jones is program director with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) conducts research and analysis on a variety of state electricity policy and program issues including advanced nuclear, energy storage, microgrids, carbon management, and hydrogen. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Jones worked at the Nuclear Energy Institute assisting the political affairs and advocacy programs and as a graduate research assistant studying renewable energy development in Arctic cities. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida and a Master of Environmental Resource Policy from the George Washington University.

Hon. Jeff Merrifield
Chairman, USNIC;
Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLC
Jeffrey Merrifield is a partner in the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP’s energy practice. Mr. Merrifield was appointed by President Clinton and reappointed by President Bush to serve on the five-member, Senate-confirmed, independent United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During his tenure, which was from October 1998 to June 2002 and from August 2002 to June 2007, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission had a staff of 3,250 employees with a budget of $900 million and set all policies and rules that govern the safe and secure use of nuclear materials at the 104 U.S. nuclear power plants operating at that time. Prior to joining Pillsbury, Mr. Merrifield served as President of The Merrifield Group, LLC where he provided energy and environmental consulting, advocacy and strategic advice for companies, organizations and individuals. Specific areas of focus included management, energy market analysis, nuclear, fossil and alternative energy policy and deployment, radioactive and hazardous waste disposal strategies, safety and regulatory assessment and analysis, as well as public and government engagement. Before working with the Merrifield Group, Mr. Merrifield was the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development with CB&I’s Power Business Unit. While there, he led a team of twenty-five sales and proposal staff to develop and win over $1.5 billion in annual sales, including the first competitive, EPC combined cycle gas unit in over six years. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President for The Shaw Group, Inc.’s Power Group. As a member of the Power Group's executive team, he was responsible for overseeing the group's external relationships including nuclear business development, customer relations, strategic planning, marketing and communications, as well as government and regulatory affairs. Mr. Merrifield also served on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Ecology Corporation, which is one of the largest U.S. operators of both hazardous and low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. He served as the Lead Director and Chairman of the Governance Committee and was a member of the Compensation and Audit Committees. Currently, Mr. Merrifield serves on the Board of the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council and is also the Chairman of its Advanced Nuclear Working Group. Composed of more than 70 companies, the Council is the leading business consortium advocate for new nuclear energy and the promotion of the American supply chain globally.

Cyril Draffin
Senior Fellow, Advanced Nuclear
U. S. Nuclear Industry Council
Cyril Draffin is Senior Fellow, Advanced Nuclear, U. S. Nuclear Industry Council where he facilitates progress on the development, demonstration, regulation, financing, and deployment of multiple Advanced Nuclear technologies to meet industrial and utility energy requirements. He leads the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council’s Advanced Nuclear Working Group, organized and led the “Integrating Nuclear Solutions for Petrochemical and Industrial Needs” April 2024 Houston, Texas workshop, and has been Regulations and Workstream lead for the U.S. Department of Commerce Small Modular Reactor Working Group. He is affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative, and is Vice-Chair of the Maryland Cybersecurity Critical Infrastructure subcommittee. Previously, Mr. Draffin was director of strategy for Northrop Grumman Corporation with leadership roles in homeland security, cybersecurity, energy, information technology, and defense strategy. He also was a principal in a venture capital company, and served as a Director in the U.S. Department of Energy.. Mr. Draffin has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from MIT.
The Western States Nuclear Workshop is facilitated by the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, working with the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC) and other organizations. For questions on the workshop, please contact Cyril Draffin at cyril.draffin@usnic.org.