ALASKA 
FUTURES: 
An Au Series

Nuclear Next
 

Alaska Mining Executive Tour and Talk

“Fueling the Future of Critical Mining: The Federal Priorities for America’s Energy & Economy”

Hosted by Alaska Unlimited

Alaska Futures Series: Energy and Technology, Advanced Energy Systems - Nuclear Next

 

Alaska Unlimited is organizing a discreet, high-level executive tour and strategic dialogue at Idaho National

Laboratory (INL) for a select delegation of 30 executive leaders from Alaska’s major mining companies and

Alaska Native corporations. This exclusive visit is part of our Alaska Futures Series, focused on emerging

technologies that can unlock new opportunities for resource development in remote and energy-constrained

regions of Alaska.

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This session will center on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and micro-nuclear systems—technologies poised

to transform energy access in areas where traditional infrastructure is costly, unreliable, or environmentally

unsustainable. For Alaska’s mining sector, this represents a potential breakthrough: stable, long-term, clean

energy that reduces operating costs, enhances project viability, and supports community partnerships in remote

settings.

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This private delegation event is expected to include senior-level representation from the U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These agencies

will provide direct briefings on the Trump Administration’s energy and permitting reform priorities, proposed

timeline for commercialization and deployment readiness particularly around advanced nuclear deployment and

supply chains. In turn, this forum will offer Alaska’s mining and Alaska Native leaders and land owners a unique opportunity

to communicate directly with federal government. Industry participants will help shape a federal understanding of the on-the-ground needs, barriers, and expectations around permitting, regulation, infrastructure, and long- term energy security—especially as they relate to strategic minerals, rare earths, and critical materials vital to national and economic security.

 

Key Objectives:

1. Provide mining and Alaska Native corporation land owner executives with first-hand exposure to advanced

nuclear energy systems suitable for remote deployment.

2. Provide a briefing on federal priorities from the Administration related to permitting reform and regulatory

policy, and facilitate direct communication of industry-specific needs, permitting challenges, timelines for

commercialization and infrastructure expectations to senior federal energy and regulatory officials.

 

Format & Participation:

Private and confidential, no media presence or public announcements. The event will be closed-door tours,

technical briefings, vendor briefings, and strategy sessions at INL with facilitated conversations between

industry and federal agencies focused on action, not advocacy.

 

Dates: September 23-25, 2025

Location: Idaho National Laboratory – Idaho Falls, ID

Hosted by: Alaska Unlimited (Au)

For additional information please contact:

Alaska Unlimited | mwelsh@alaskaunlimited.org