Susan Hoxie-Key

Birmingham, AL, USA

Ms. Susan Hoxie-Key is a proven nuclear industry leader, with more than 40 years of engineering experience including reactor core design, nuclear fuel-related licensing, nuclear fuel procurement, oversight of nuclear fuel-related engineering products, and direct support of reactor operations. Prior to her retirement in 2021, she worked for Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) for 31 years, where her most recent roles were Consulting Engineer to the SNC Nuclear Fuel and Analysis (NF&A) Department. In this role, she directed and conducted complex multi-disciplinary projects involving in-reactor fuel performance, fuel procurement, fuel-related licensing, and core design; provided oversight of NF&A technical activities; and served as the SNC lead for nuclear industry efforts to increase uranium enrichment limit above 5 weight percent and to increase the current licensed fuel burnup limit.

Her previous roles at SNC focused on nuclear fuel strategy, quality, and development for the company’s six operating nuclear units; core design, analysis, fuel-related licensing, and operations; and other technical support. In addition to her commercial nuclear utility experience at SNC, her work history includes 11 years at the U.S. DOE Savannah River Plant (SRP), where she provided engineering support for SRP nuclear reactor operations.

Ms. Hoxie-Key is a 2008 winner of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Oestmann Achievement Award. Her nuclear industry leadership roles have included:

• World Nuclear Fuel Market (WNFM) Board of Governors, Chairman, June 2016 – June 2018
• WNFM Board of Governors, Elected Member, June 2014 – June 2020
• Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Utility Fuel Committee, Chairman, 2015 – 2016
• NEI Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) Safety Benefits and Licensing Task Forces, Member, 2017 – March 2021
• North Carolina State University, Undergraduate Subcommittee of the Nuclear Engineering Department Advisory Committee, Member, 2010 – March 2021
• Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) PWR Technical Advisory Committee (P-TAC), Member through March 2021

She earned her bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Mississippi State University and master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a registered Professional Engineer in the states of Alabama and Georgia.

Areas of Expertise

• Contract development
• Contract portfolio analysis
• Core design
• Cycle economics and fuel costs
• Fuel cycle design
• Fuel design change reviews
• Fuel fabrication procurement
• Fuel Management
• Fuel Markets
• Government Policy evaluation and impacts
• New fuel design reviews / LTA's / Accident Tolerant Fuel
• Purchasing/marketing strategies
• RFP and bid evaluations
• Security of supply studies
• Spent fuel examinations
• Technical Support