2026 Virginia Is For Nuclear Summit Agenda

June 17 Reception

Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Virginia Commonwealth University Engineering Research Building, 70 S. Madison Street, Richmond VA
*Enter the building through the courtyard on Madison Street, directly across from the VCU JL Parking lot.
Parking: Virginia Commonwealth University – JL Parking Lot 200 W Cary St., Richmond, VA

June 18 Summit

Time: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Location: Virginia Commonwealth University — College of Engineering, West Hall
601 W Main St, Richmond, VA 23220
Parking: We recommend using the VCU Parking Deck at 700 W Main St.
👔 Dress Code: Business casual

Agenda at a Glance

Virginia is Nuclear 2026 Summit · Draft Agenda

Time	Session & Speakers
8:00–8:30 AM	Registration & Networking Breakfast
8:30–9:00 AM	Opening Plenary — Virginia Leadership: International, National, & State Welcome — VNEC and Virginia Innovative Nuclear (VIN) Hub Vision Award Presentation Speaker — Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association
9:00–9:50 AM	Panel 1 — Virginia Deployment Pathways Examines the state of utility-led nuclear deployment in Virginia — momentum, bottlenecks, incentive needs, and how data center demand is shaping near-term priorities. Panelists Emil Avram, Senior Vice President, Generation Development, Dominion Energy Randy Keppler, Managing Director of Engineering, Nuclear Development, American Electric Power Moderator: April Wade, Executive Director, Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC)
9:50–10:05 AM	Networking Break
10:05–10:55 AM	Panel 2 — Building Virginia’s Nuclear Supply Chain Advantage Explores Virginia’s manufacturing and R&D strengths in the nuclear supply chain — supplier gaps, qualification timelines, and opportunities for investment and public-private partnership. Panelists Alan Thomas, Vice President Products & Engineering, Framatome David Long, Vice President of Operations, HII Nuclear Erik Nygaard, Vice President, Commercial Microreactor Products, BWX Technologies Will Wagner, Vice President for Nuclear Power Business Development, Bechtel Moderator: Lauren Hughes, Deputy Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, Atlantic Council
10:55–11:45 AM	Panel 3 — Workforce at Scale: Training for a Nuclear Buildout Addresses how Virginia’s K–12 schools, community colleges, universities, trade programs, and employers can build a unified workforce pipeline to meet growing nuclear industry demand. Panelists Dr. Arvind Agarwal, Ph.D Professor and Chair, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Dr. Jason Ferguson, Chief Workforce Officer and Associate Vice President, Central Virginia Community College Jeff Whitt, Executive Director, Virginia Innovative Nuclear (VIN) Hub Moderator: Nicole Hughes, Senior Director Workforce Solutions, Thomas Thor
11:45 AM–12:30 PM	Lunch
12:30–1:00 PM	Commonwealth Leadership Spotlight: Coordinated Investment Recognizing leadership in advancing Virginia’s nuclear future. Virginia is for Nuclear Leadership Award Presentation
1:00–1:15 PM	Networking Break
1:15–2:05 PM	Panel 4 — Research, Innovation, and Commercialization Explores how Virginia universities, national laboratories, and developers can advance the nuclear innovation pipeline, advocate for a Virginia research and education reactor, and shorten time-to-commercialization. Panelists Dr. Alireza Haghighat, Director of Nuclear Engineering Program, Virginia Tech Brian Smith, Chief Technology Officer, Nuclear Science & Technology, Idaho National Laboratory UVA Erik Cothron, Manager of Research & Strategy, Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) Moderator: Kara Colton, Director of Nuclear Energy Programs, Energy Communities Alliance (ECA)
2:05–2:20 PM	Networking Break
2:20–3:10 PM	Panel 5 — DoD: Advancing Nuclear Deployment for Military Installation Resilience Examines how Virginia’s military installations can leverage advanced nuclear, SMRs, and microreactors for energy security, and how federal-state-utility coordination can reinforce both military and civilian deployment plans. Panelists Captain Daniel Patrick, Base Commander, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Todd Flowers, Director, Generation Development, Dominion Energy
3:10–3:20 PM	Virginia is for Nuclear Leadership Award Presentation
3:20–4:10 PM	Wrap-Up Panel — Key Takeaways and Opportunities for Virginia Draws across all six pillars of Virginia’s nuclear strategic plan to synthesize the day’s themes, highlight points of consensus, and identify investment, partnership, policy, and advocacy opportunities going forward. Panelists Nikki Hashemian Sizemore, Director, Government Affairs, Kairos Power Seth Grae, CEO, Lightbridge Corporation Moderator: April Wade, Executive Director, Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC)
4:10–4:30 PM	Closing & VCU Tour