DOE Chief Jennifer Granholm told Columbia U. summit the president is "obsessed" with project permit reform and expedited approvals—as G7 climate ministers agreed April 16 to pursue common goal of net zero through "various pathways," while still supporting natural gas development.

Cause of sudden death was not disclosed of exec who led the $17B Hanford nuclear waste vitrification plant project, but Bechtel has named company veteran Brian Hartman as new project director.

Lawrence Livermore National Lab team successfully produced more nuclear fusion energy than it took to start the reaction using lasers, U.S. Energy Dept. officials said Dec. 13, with more private and academic competition underway to shorten timeframes to commercialize power generation.