Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to attend several industry conferences: the Nuclear Energy Conference and Exhibition (NECX), hosted by (ANS) and (NEI), last fall, the NRC Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) in March, and most recently NAYGN, the North American Young Generation in Nuclear Continental Conference, in May. Each event was different in format and focus, but they all reinforced that there is no substitute for in-person conversation, collaboration, and engagement.
In-person conferences are where important relationships are built, and as we enter a period of rapid change and growth in the power generation and utilities sector, showing up and making personal connections is critically important.
What struck me as particularly valuable were the breakout sessions: individual hour-long sessions spotlighting themes and trends across the industry today. The collaborative nature of the panel speakers as well as the audience creates a discussion-based environment where leaders from a range of entities and organizations weigh in with their perspectives and opinions. This was particularly engaging for me, as I’ve only been in the industry for a few years, and the context that seasoned leaders provide far outspans my experience. There was a particular breakout session on workforce development at last year’s NECX that highlighted the importance of bridging the talent gap and cultivating younger generations as the labor market continues to tighten due to increasing activity across this sector. This session pushed us to look inward at our own organization and start focusing more on providing the right resources to grow and upskill as needs evolve. We’ve also begun working with industry and local partners on how to bridge the talent gap by offering mentorship and early career development programs in the project management discipline. These conferences served as a catalyst for us to better answer the question of how we need to adapt to serve our clients’ needs going forward.
The nuclear renaissance is real. The U.S. Department of Energy has set an ambitious goal to expand American nuclear capacity from roughly 100 gigawatts today to 400 gigawatts by 2050,¹ and the policy framework to get there is already in motion. After years of an industry that was, as the DOE put it, “starved for progress,”¹ government commitment and private capital are now moving in the same direction at the same time. The sector is evolving quickly, and new opportunities present new challenges, and the conversations happening at conferences like these reflect that. At KBH, we’re focused on growing alongside it and continuing to provide the resources and solutions our clients need as the industry evolves. We look forward to staying engaged and representing our organization well as things continue to develop, and we’re already looking forward to this year’s remaining conferences, including NECX in August and seeing where the next chapter of the industry’s growth takes us.
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Energy, “One Year After Executive Orders, U.S. Nuclear Energy Renaissance Is in Full Swing,” Office of Nuclear Energy, May 22, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Energy, “Energy Department Seeks Proposals for AI Data Centers, Energy Projects at Idaho National Laboratory,” September 8, 2025.
