EPW Senate staffer and former reactor operator nominated to the NRC

July 24, 2024, 7:01AMNuclear News

Marzano

President Biden has selected Matthew Marzano as his choice to fill the open seat on the five-member Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The panel of commissioners has had a vacancy since Jeff Baran’s term as commissioner ended in June 2023.

Marzano currently serves as an Idaho National Laboratory detailee for the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, advising EPW on policy matters relating to clean air, climate, and energy. Most recently, he advised the committee’s chairman on the ADVANCE Act, legislation designed to prepare the NRC for an expected surge in new nuclear reactor oversight.

From ANS: Craig Piercy, ANS executive director/chief executive officer, commended President Biden for nominating Matthew Marzano to the NRC.

“Mr. Marzano is a nuclear engineer and licensed Senior Reactor Operator with a long record in nuclear safety and public service,” Piercy said. "He has experience operating and building nuclear power plants, training U.S. Navy personnel as nuclear plant operators on submarines and aircraft carriers, and advising on policy matters relating to clean air, climate, and energy," Piercy added. "With his extensive experience, Mr. Marzano is well qualified to join the NRC and would be a welcome addition."

"ANS believes that U.S. nuclear safety and security interests are best served by having a full roster of NRC commissioners with proven technical and professional qualifications. As such, we urge the Senate to act promptly on Mr. Marzano’s nomination,” Piercy concluded.

Background: Prior to his current role, Marzano served as the 2022 Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow. The yearlong fellowship, also known as the ANS Congressional Fellowship, gives nuclear professionals the opportunity to learn how policymaking affects nuclear science, energy, and technology by working directly for legislators or congressional committees on critical nuclear policy decisions.

Marzano combines his policy background with more than a decade of experience in the nuclear industry, during which he focused on nuclear energy systems for both defense and commercial applications.

Marzano began his career at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in 2012, supporting the U.S. Navy training mission as a reactor operations instructor and nuclear plant engineer. In 2015, he moved to Dominion Energy, where he spent two years supporting construction activities and qualifying as a senior reactor operator for the twin AP1000 reactor expansion project (since halted) at the V. C. Summer nuclear power plant. Following, Marzano joined Exelon Generation (now Constellation) at Braidwood nuclear power plant, supporting digital plant upgrades while obtaining a senior reactor operator license.

Marzano holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida. He now lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and 1-year old son.


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