Trump's Executive Orders Aim to Boost Nuclear Power and Overhaul Regulatory Framework

To boost nuclear power, Trump orders controversial rewrite of radiation safety rules

That's a long-debated issue that President Donald Trump has pushed back into the spotlight thanks to his effort to expand nuclear power in the United States. Last week, Trump signed four executive orders aimed at easing the construction of new nuclear reactors, which the administration says will provide electricity needed to avoid shortages and power data centers used by artificial intelligence. In addition to taking steps to enable the construction of nuclear plants on public lands and expand U.S. uranium mining, the orders call for revisiting technical models the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) uses to set exposure limits for ionizing radiation, which can cause cancer and other health problems. Some nuclear power proponents have argued NRC's safety models have led to regulations that are too strict and costly to implement, creating a barrier to nuclear power. And in its 23 May announcement, the White House asserted, "Those models lack sound scientific basis and produce irrational results, such as requiring that nuclear plants protect against radiation below naturally occurring levels. ... Instead of efficiently promoting safe, abundant nuclear energy, the NRC has instead tried to insulate Americans from the most remote risks without appropriate regard for the severe domestic and geopolitical costs of such risk aversion." The move to revisit the safety models promises to reignite an often fierce, decades-old scientific battle over the risks posed by radiation -- and whether small doses might even have positive health effects. The White House claims the agency, established in 1975 to oversee nuclear safety, has become an obstacle to approving new reactors. Since 1978, NRC has only approved five new reactors, and just two have been built: the Unit 3 and Unit 4 reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia. In contrast, 133 reactors were constructed in the U.S. over the previous 26 years. Currently, there are 94 operating reactors at 54 commercial power plants in 28 states. They generate about 19% of the nation's electricity. In a bid to promote new plant construction, Trump wants to downsize and reorganize NRC and require it to make final decisions on applications for new reactors within 18 months. The agency would get 12 months to act on requests to continue the operations of an existing reactor. What safety models are at issue? Radiation risks are mostly calculated from studies that examined cancer cases among 86,600 survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War II. Researchers found that the incidence of cancer in the survivors rose linearly -- in a straight line -- with the radiation dose. That suggests there's no threshold below which exposure to radiation is harmless. Scientists call this the linear no-threshold (LNT) model of ionizing radiation. The LNT model is widely accepted in the scientific community and informs almost all regulation of the U.S. nuclear industry, including an NRC standard that calls for keeping radiation exposure "as low as reasonably achievable." There are critics of the LNT model, however. They point to a body of research on cells and animals, as well as epidemiology studies, that suggest radiation exposure below a certain threshold is safe and can even improve human health, an idea known as hormesis. In 2015, three members of a group called Scientists for Accurate Radiation Information cited the hormesis theory in petitions asking NRC to increase allowable doses for nuclear workers and the public. (One of the group's missions is to prevent "radiation-phobia-related deaths," according to its website.) In 2021, NRC rejected the petitions, finding insufficient evidence to justify any changes. The agency noted the "actual level of risk associated with low doses of radiation remains uncertain," but "there is not strong support for the hormesis concept in the scientific literature." It also cited a 2005 report on low-dose radiation risks from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which is still considered one the most authoritative reviews of the issue. It concluded that the LNT model "continues to provide a sound regulatory basis for minimizing the risk of unnecessary radiation exposure." What happens next? The Trump administration -- which includes officials who have in the past called for less strict radiation standards and endorsed the hormesis concept -- has ordered NRC to adopt new "science-based radiation limits" within 18 months. "In particular, the NRC shall reconsider reliance on the [LNT model] ... and the 'as low as reasonably achievable' standard," the executive order states. The White House has asked NRC to work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Energy and Defense in developing the new standards, which will likely be subject to a formal rulemaking that involves inviting comments from the public. Any final rules could then be subject to legal challenges, including claims that they violate a provision of the 1954 Atomic Energy Act that requires NRC to "minimize danger to life or property." What's been the reaction to the executive orders? The nuclear industry has welcomed Trump's move. Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade group, thanked Trump during a White House event that featured him signing the orders. In a statement, Ur-Energy, a uranium mining company, applauded Trump's "bold action ... to return the U.S. to its leadership role in the nuclear sector." Some groups that see nuclear power as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels also offered praise. The call to reconsider the LNT model and other safety standards is a positive step toward reforming NRC's "overly risk-averse culture, structure, and regulations," wrote Adam Stein, director of the nuclear energy innovation program at the Breakthrough Institute, a nonprofit research organization. Others are wary of the proposed regulatory changes. Trump's order to revise exposure rules "flies in the face of globally held radiation safety standards," says health researcher Stephen Bondy of the University of California Irvine, author of a 2023 review paper that found the science on hormesis is still unsettled. It "clearly places health hazards as of secondary importance relative to economic and business interests." Some analysts warn altering NRC's safety standards could ultimately reduce public support for nuclear power. "It would shatter the commission's credibility, nationwide and worldwide, to lower the risk standards it has been credibly using for years to minimize adverse radiation effects from nuclear power plants," wrote Toby Dalton and Ariel Levite of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in The Hill.

Trump to sign orders to boost nuclear power as soon as Friday, sources say

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign executive orders as soon as Friday that aim to jumpstart the nuclear energy industry by easing the regulatory process on approvals for new reactors and strengthening fuel supply chains, four sources familiar said. Facing the first rise in power demand in two decades from the boom in artificial intelligence, Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office. Chris Wright, the energy secretary, has said the race to develop power sources and data centers needed for AI is "Manhattan Project 2", referring to the massive U.S. program during World War II to develop atomic bombs. A draft summary of the orders said Trump will invoke the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency over U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing and advanced reactor inputs. The summary also directs agencies to permit and site new nuclear facilities and directs the Departments of Energy and Defense to identify federal lands and facilities for nuclear deployment and to streamline processes to get them built. It also encourages the Energy Department to use loan guarantees and direct loans to increase the build out of reactors. Trump only used the Loan Programs Office in his first administration to support a large nuclear plant in Georgia. The LPO has now has hundreds of billions of dollars in financing thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's administration, but has been hit hard by job cuts during Trump's second administration. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The exact text and wording of draft executive orders is subject to frequent changes and there is no guarantee elements of the EOs will not be excised or modified during the final stages of the review process. The United States was the first developer of nuclear power and has the most nuclear power capacity in the world, but the energy source is now growing the fastest in China. One of the sources said officials from the industry including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation (CEG.O), opens new tab, a utility with the biggest U.S. reactor capacity, were invited to attend a signing ceremony Friday afternoon. Constellation and NEI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has been debating four draft executive orders to boost nuclear power that sought ways to give the administration more power to approve reactors and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body of five panelists that approves reactors. Nuclear is popular with Democrats for being virtually free in carbon emissions and with Republicans for providing reliable electricity compared to wind and solar power which can be intermittent, a problem that can be managed with battery storage. Nuclear power produces radioactive waste which for which there is no permanent repository in the United States. Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alistair Bell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:EnergyGrid & InfrastructureNuclear Timothy Gardner Thomson Reuters Timothy reports on energy and environment policy and is based in Washington, D.C. His coverage ranges from the latest in nuclear power, to environment regulations, to U.S. sanctions and geopolitics. He has been a member of three teams in the past two years that have won Reuters best journalism of the year awards. As a cyclist he is happiest outside. Gram Slattery Thomson Reuters Gram Slattery is a White House correspondent in Washington, focusing on national security, intelligence and foreign affairs. He was previously a national political correspondent, covering the 2024 presidential campaign. From 2015 to 2022, he held postings in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Santiago, Chile, and he has reported extensively throughout Latin America.

Trump seeks to fast-track new nuclear licenses, overhaul regulatory agency

May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the nation's independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants on Friday, seeking to shrink a multi-year process down to 18 months. The requirement was part of a batch of executive orders signed by Trump on Friday that aim to boost U.S. nuclear energy production amid a boom in demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. Licensing for reactors in the U.S. can take over a decade at times, a process designed to prioritize nuclear safety but which has discouraged new projects. "With these actions, President Trump is telling the world that America will build again, and the American nuclear renaissance can begin," said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The moves include a substantial overhaul of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that includes looking at staffing levels and directing the Energy and Defense departments to work together to build nuclear plants on federal lands, a senior White House official said. The administration envisions the Department of Defense taking a prominent role in ordering reactors and installing them on military bases. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the United States, the senior White House official said. Trump declared a national energy emergency in January as one of his first acts in office, saying the U.S. had inadequate supplies of electricity to meet the country's growing needs, particularly for data centers that run artificial intelligence systems. Most of Trump's actions have focused on boosting fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, but administration officials also support nuclear power, which in recent years has attracted growing bipartisan support. Some Democrats endorse nuclear because the plants do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases, even as environmentalists have raised concerns about radioactive waste and reactor safety. Republicans, who are less concerned about global warming, support it because they say nuclear power plants could strengthen U.S. energy security. Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:EnergyGrid & InfrastructureNuclear

Trump signs orders to overhaul Nuclear Regulatory Commission, speed reactor deployment

President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders on Friday to overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and speed the deployment of new nuclear power reactors in the U.S. The NRC is a 50-year-old, independent agency that regulates the nation's fleet of nuclear reactors. Trump's orders call for a "total and complete reform" of the agency, a senior White House official told reporters. Under the new rules, the commission will be forced to decide on nuclear reactor licenses within 18 months. When asked whether NRC reform will result in staff reductions, the White House official said "there will be turnover and changes in roles." "Total reduction in staff is undetermined at this point, but the executive orders do call for a substantial reorganization" of the agency, the official said. The orders, however, will not remove or replace any of the five commissioners who lead the body, according to the White House. Any reduction in staff at the NRC would come at time when the commission faces a heavy workload. The agency is currently reviewing whether two mothballed nuclear plants, Palisades in Michigan and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, should restart operations, a historic and unprecedented process. Trump's orders also create a regulatory framework for the Departments of Energy and Defense to build nuclear reactors on federal land, the administration official said. "This allows for safe and reliable nuclear energy to power and operate critical defense facilities and AI data centers," the official told reporters. The NRC will not have a direct role, as the departments will use separate authorities under their control to authorize reactor construction for national security purposes, the official said. The president's orders also aim to jump start the mining of uranium in the U.S. and expand domestic uranium enrichment capacity, the official said. Trump's actions also aim to speed up reactor testing at the Department of Energy's national laboratories. Investment in nuclear power is growing in the U.S. after a long period of financial turmoil for the industry, including the shutdown of a dozen reactors in recent years as the industry struggled to compete against cheap and abundant natural gas. Building new nuclear plants in the U.S. is notoriously slow and expensive. The two new reactors that recently came online at Plant Vogtle near Augusta, Georgia took seven years longer-than-planned to build, and came in $18 billion over budget. But the computer technology industry is now riving the revival in nuclear as it races to meet growing electricity demand from data centers used to drive artificial intelligence. Three Mile Island, one of whose reactors was the site of a partial meltdown in 1979, is expected to return to service in 2028 with financial support from Microsoft, for example, and Alphabet and Amazon are investing in small, advanced reactors.

Trump signs executive orders to boost nuclear power, speed up approvals

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump signed executive orders Friday intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, a goal experts say the United States is highly unlikely to reach. To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. energy secretary authority to approve advanced reactor designs and projects, taking authority away from the independent safety agency that has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades. The order comes as demand for electricity surges amid a boom in energy-hungry data centers and artificial intelligence. Tech companies, venture capitalists, states and others are competing for electricity and straining the nation's electric grid. "We've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. "What we do in the next five years related to electricity is going to determine the next 50" years in the industry. Still, it's unlikely the U.S. could quadruple its nuclear production in the timeframe the White House specified. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two reactors, at a nuclear plant in Georgia, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Trump is enthusiastic At the Oval Office signing, Trump, surrounded by industry executives, called nuclear a "hot industry," adding, "It's time for nuclear, and we're going to do it very big." Burgum and other speakers said the industry has stagnated and has been choked by overregulation. "Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry,'' said Burgum, who chairs Trump's newly formed Energy Dominance Council. The orders would reorganize the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure quicker reviews of nuclear projects, including an 18-month deadline for the NRC to act on industry applications. The measures also create a pilot program intended to place three new experimental reactors online by July 4, 2026 -- 13 months from now -- and invoke the Defense Production Act to allow emergency measures to ensure the U.S. has the reactor fuel needed for a modernized nuclear energy sector. The administration is focused on boosting nuclear as "affordable, reliable, safe and secure power," said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The executive orders send a signal that "America will build again," Kratsios said. Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed that sentiment on social media, posting that more reliable, secure and affordable energy sources -- like geothermal, nuclear and natural gas -- are the key to remaining the world's energy powerhouse. Trump has signed a spate of executive orders promoting oil, gas and coal that warm the planet when burned to produce electricity. Nuclear reactors generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. Trump said reactors are safe and clean, but did not mention climate benefits. The order to reorganize the NRC will include significant staff reductions but is not intended to fire NRC commissioners who lead the agency. David Wright, a former South Carolina elected official and utility commissioner, chairs the five-member panel. His term ends June 30, and it is unclear if he will be reappointed. Critics have trepidations Critics say the White House moves could compromise safety and violate legal frameworks such as the Atomic Energy Act. Compromising the independence of the NRC or encouraging it to be circumvented entirely could weaken the agency and make regulation less effective, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Simply put, the U.S. nuclear industry will fail if safety is not made a priority," he said. A number of countries are speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of smaller nuclear reactors to meet a surging demand for electricity and supply it carbon-free. Last year, Congress passed legislation that former President Joe Biden signed to modernize the licensing of new reactor technologies so they can be built faster. This month, the power company in Ontario, Canada, began building the first of four small nuclear reactors. Valar Atomics is a nuclear reactor developer in California. Founder and CEO Isaiah Taylor said nuclear development and innovation in the United States has been slowed by too much red tape, while Russia and China are speeding ahead. He said he's most excited about the mandate for the Energy Department to speed up the pace of innovation. The NRC is currently reviewing applications from companies and a utility that want to build small nuclear reactors to begin providing power in the early 2030s. Currently, the NRC expects its reviews to take three years or less. Radiant Nuclear is a clean energy startup based in El Segundo, California, that is building a nuclear microreactor. Chief Operating Officer Tori Shivanandan said the administration's support for the advanced nuclear industry will help ensure its success, and the executive orders mark a "watershed moment" for nuclear power. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Trump plan for fast-tracking nuclear power takes aim at regulators

The president signed executive orders that threaten to erode the decades-long independence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. President Donald Trump is inserting the White House into a safety review process for nuclear reactors that has operated independently for decades, blaming overregulation and risk-aversion for the slow pace at which plants have been built in recent years. One of four executive orders Trump signed Friday directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete the licensing process for any new reactors within 18 months and rewrite radiation exposure rules the White House criticizes as unnecessarily cautious. "We're going to take the shackles off the nuclear industry," Trump said as he signed the orders in the Oval Office. "No more waiting 15 years for a permit. No more relying on foreign uranium. We are unleashing American energy -- clean, reliable and patriotic." Trump signed the orders relating to nuclear energy as demand is soaring and tech companies are investing heavily in nuclear innovations in the hope that new plants can power the massive data centers that fuel artificial intelligence. Administration officials say they expect the directives to result in new plants being built during the president's term. They are particularly focused on development of what are known as small modular reactors, which the industry argues are more nimble and safer than legacy reactors. But the development of the technology has been beset by years of cost overruns, supply chain problems and design changes that have set back the licensing process. Experts say a speedier permitting process won't solve many of the economic and technical hurdles that the industry is still straining to overcome to bring such reactors online. The last new reactors to come online, at the Vogtle plant in Georgia in 2023, were seven years behind schedule and $17 billion over budget -- with the final price tag doubling initial projections. The new executive orders, while applauded by industry officials who joined Trump at a signing ceremony Friday, are also raising concern that White House interference will create new safety risks for the public and ultimately undermine the industry's attempt at a reboot. The White House is directing "complete reform of NRC culture" at the same time that it is asserting unprecedented control over the agency, changing its decision-making process so that any final rulings first be routed through the White House, which can change findings. "Reorganizing and reducing the independence of the NRC could lead to the hasty deployment of advanced reactors with safety and security flaws," wrote Ernest Moniz, an Obama-era energy secretary and nuclear physicist, in a statement posted in anticipation of the orders. "A major event would, like those in the past, increase regulatory requirements and set back nuclear energy for a long time." In addition to calling for an overhaul at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the orders would also encourage the departments of Energy and Defense to build reactors on federal land to power data centers and military bases, speed up the process for testing new reactor technology and boost domestic supply chains for nuclear fuels. The orders come after Congress has already passed legislation directing the commission to modernize its operations and speed up the licensing process. Some groups, including the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, an industry think tank, warn the Trump directives could complicate a retooling process already underway and making progress. The group also warns that steep cuts to the federal workforce that the administration is pursuing threaten to undermine Trump's plans to rapidly license new reactors. "I worry the White House getting more involved will slow down reform," said Matt Bowen, a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. "I would prefer they not be directing the NRC on these things." Scientists say the radiation exposure rules the White House is taking aim at may be ripe for review. But they warn it is a multiyear process involving voluminous amounts of data and multiple federal offices, including the Environmental Protection Agency. "You can't just do this by fiat if there is no scientific foundation," said Paul Dickman, a former senior staffer at the commission and president of the World Council on Isotopes. "In order to get this right, you have to have that."

Trump signs executive orders to revive US' nuclear power leadership

The sweeping directives, which senior White House officials dubbed "total and complete reform," will force the 50-year-old agency to decide on nuclear reactor licenses within just 18 months. Trump said the orders spotlight the rise of small, advanced reactors, seen as the backbone of the country's energy ambitions, adding that his administration also supports large-scale nuclear projects. "We're also talking about the big plants -- the very, very big, the biggest," Trump said. "We're going to be doing them also." The Order also aims to expand U.S. nuclear energy capacity from around 100 GW today to 400 GW by 2050 by fast-tracking new reactor technologies. The move comes as the nuclear industry sees a revival, not from traditional utilities, but from Big Tech's soaring demand for energy to power AI data centers and defense systems. Nuclear stocks jumped on the news, signaling renewed investor confidence in a sector long bogged down by delays, high costs, and red tape. The president's orders also seek to jumpstart uranium mining and expand domestic enrichment capacity, according to a White House official. Additionally, the directives aim to accelerate reactor testing at the Department of Energy's national laboratories.

Trump signs executive orders to spur US 'nuclear energy renaissance'

President aims to construct new nuclear reactors as he implements his own energy policies and undoes Joe Biden's Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders on Friday intended to spur a "nuclear energy renaissance" through the construction of new reactors he said would satisfy the electricity demands of data centers for artificial intelligence and other emerging industries. The orders represented the president's latest foray into the policy underling America's electricity supply. Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office over and moved to undo a ban implemented by Joe Biden on new natural gas export terminals and expand oil and gas drilling in Alaska. Nuclear does not carry oil and gas's carbon emissions, but produces radioactive waste that the United States lacks a facility to permanently store. Some environmental groups have safety concerns over the reactors and their supply chain. Trump signed four orders intended to speed up the approval of nuclear reactors for defense and AI purposes, reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the goal of quadrupling production of the electricity over the next 25 years, revamp the regulatory process to have three experimental reactors operating by 4 July of next year and boost investment in the technology's industrial base. "Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry," interior secretary Doug Burgum said at an Oval Office event where Trump signed the orders. "President Trump here today has committed to energy dominance, and part of that energy dominance is that we've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China." High-profile accidents at nuclear plants in the United States and abroad stirred public opposition to nuclear energy in decades past, but Trump described the technology as "very safe". However, the department of government efficiency's effort to downsize the federal workforce has created snafus like the temporary firings of some employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the US nuclear arsenal. It is also feared to hamper a long-running nuclear waste clean up operation in Washington state. In Congress, Trump's Republican allies have moved to implement his energy policies and repeal Biden's. A sprawling tax-and-spending bill the House of Representatives passed this week changes the rules for tax incentives created under Biden for renewable energy power plants to make them available only for projects that begin construction within 60 days of the bill's enactment, and are completed by 2028. But nuclear plants only have to be under construction by 2028, a less strict guideline.

Trump signs orders to boost US nuclear energy

President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Friday to boost nuclear energy in the United States, including by rolling back regulatory processes on a still divisive technology. "We're signing tremendous executive orders today that really will make us the real power in this industry," Trump told reporters as he penned the four orders in the Oval Office. Trump's orders aim to speed up the building of new reactors and to boost domestic mining and enriching of uranium, with the United States relying on imports for most of the crucial fuel. The US president said the focus would be on building smaller reactors, such as those required by tech and artificial intelligence companies that have huge energy needs. The orders will also overhaul the US nuclear watchdog so that it pushes through decisions on building new reactors within 18 months, amid reports that the White House found the regulator too risk averse. Trump denied that speeding up the regulation process could compromise nuclear safety. "We're going to get it very fast and very safe," Trump said. "It's time for nuclear and we're going to do it very big." The move comes with growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States, despite being expensive to build and still politically sensitive in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. "President Trump is taking truly historic action to usher in the American nuclear renaissance," Michael Kratsios, Director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told reporters earlier. 'Energy emergency' A senior White House official said the administration hopes to "test and deploy" new reactors before the end of Trump's second term in January 2029. Trump's order "fundamentally rehauls" the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which grants permission for new reactors, by "lowering regulatory burdens and shortening the licensing timeline." Republican Trump declared an "energy emergency" on his first day back in office to expand drilling for oil and gas and to roll back Democratic predecessor Joe Biden's climate policies, But he is now also looking at nuclear to meet growing demand. Much of the demand is fueled by US tech giants, with some including Amazon, Microsoft and Google having recently signed deals for nuclear power as they seek carbon-free electricity sources. Two US energy companies are also preparing to bring nuclear stations back online, including Three Mile Island -- the site in 1979 of the worst commercial nuclear power accident in US history. Trump's drive to boost mining and enrichment also reflects the fact that the United States imports most of the uranium that is needed to fuel nuclear power stations. The US imported most from Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in 2023 but in 2024 it banned uranium imports from Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Nuclear power has been undergoing a resurgence in recent years as countries look for carbon-free energy and confront rising prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine. It suffered a major downturn after Fukushima when a huge tsunami caused a meltdown at a Japanese power station, with Germany in particular turning its back on nuclear.

Trump signs orders to boost US nuclear energy

Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Friday to boost nuclear energy in the United States, including by rolling back regulatory processes on a still divisive technology. "We're signing tremendous executive orders today that really will make us the real power in this industry," Trump told reporters as he penned the four orders in the Oval Office. Trump's orders aim to speed up the building of new reactors and to boost domestic mining and enriching of uranium, with the United States relying on imports for most of the crucial fuel. The US president said the focus would be on building smaller reactors, such as those required by tech and artificial intelligence companies that have huge energy needs. The orders will also overhaul the US nuclear watchdog so that it pushes through decisions on building new reactors within 18 months, amid reports that the White House found the regulator too risk averse. Trump denied that speeding up the regulation process could compromise nuclear safety. "We're going to get it very fast and very safe," Trump said. "It's time for nuclear and we're going to do it very big." The move comes with growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States, despite being expensive to build and still politically sensitive in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. "President Trump is taking truly historic action to usher in the American nuclear renaissance," Michael Kratsios, Director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told reporters earlier. 'Energy emergency' A senior White House official said the administration hopes to "test and deploy" new reactors before the end of Trump's second term in January 2029. Trump's order "fundamentally rehauls" the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which grants permission for new reactors, by "lowering regulatory burdens and shortening the licensing timeline." Republican Trump declared an "energy emergency" on his first day back in office to expand drilling for oil and gas and to roll back Democratic predecessor Joe Biden's climate policies, But he is now also looking at nuclear to meet growing demand. Much of the demand is fueled by US tech giants, with some including Amazon, Microsoft and Google having recently signed deals for nuclear power as they seek carbon-free electricity sources. Two US energy companies are also preparing to bring nuclear stations back online, including Three Mile Island -- the site in 1979 of the worst commercial nuclear power accident in US history. Trump's drive to boost mining and enrichment also reflects the fact that the United States imports most of the uranium that is needed to fuel nuclear power stations. The US imported most from Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in 2023 but in 2024 it banned uranium imports from Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Nuclear power has been undergoing a resurgence in recent years as countries look for carbon-free energy and confront rising prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine. It suffered a major downturn after Fukushima when a huge tsunami caused a meltdown at a Japanese power station, with Germany in particular turning its back on nuclear.

Trump signs executive orders aimed at easing regulations on and expanding nuclear energy production

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday.Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images President Donald Trump on Friday signed four executive orders aimed at easing regulations on and expanding the production of nuclear energy. The executive orders aim to reform nuclear energy research at the Department of Energy, clear a path to allow the Energy Department to build nuclear reactors on federally-owned land, overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and expand uranium mining and enrichment in the U.S, a senior administration official told reporters ahead of the signing. The official said that the executive order that will allow nuclear reactors to be built on federal land was aimed in part at helping address growing electricity demand due to AI technology, telling reporters that the order, "allows for safe and reliable nuclear energy to power and operate critical defense facilities and AI data centers." Trump's executive orders also aim to speed up the review and regulatory processes for building and operating nuclear reactors, with the fourth executive order including a provision that requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to make decisions on new nuclear reactor licenses within 18 months, the official said. The new timetable reflected a goal of "lowering regulatory burdens and shortening the licensing timeline" for nuclear reactors, they added. Nuclear energy has been seen as a way to help transition away from fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions because nuclear power generates electricity without burning coal, oil or natural gas. While production of solar and wind energy has tripled in the United States over the past decade, there are concerns that available power sources will not be able to keep up with the enormous demand for energy -- particularly in the years ahead as artificial intelligence systems account for huge amounts of global power consumption. In remarks shortly before the president signed the executive orders in the Oval Office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the need for more energy to fuel AI, telling reporters, "We're including artificial intelligence in everything we do. If we don't, we're not fast enough. We're not keeping up with adversaries. You need the energy to fuel it. Nuclear is a huge part of that." A report released this month from the consulting firm ICF International estimated that electricity demand in the U.S. will increase 25% by 2030 (compared to 2023) and will jump 78% by 2050, largely as a result of the growing need for data centers to support AI technology. Even with a sped-up regulatory process, it could take years to complete construction and scale up nuclear infrastructure. Nuclear power also has considerable risks compared to other "green" energy sources. For one, it requires long-term strategies for how to manage and dispose of hazardous waste. There is also the potential for accidents, such as a core meltdown, or targeted attacks that could release radioactive contamination into the environment. Trump on Friday also signed a fifth executive order calling for the restoration of "gold standard science as a cornerstone of federal scientific research," the senior administration official said. Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology, told reporters Friday that the executive orders "will ensure continued American strength and global leadership in science and technology."

Trump signs executive orders to boost nuclear power, speed up approvals

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump signed executive orders Friday intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, a goal experts say the United States is highly unlikely to reach. To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. energy secretary authority to approve advanced reactor designs and projects, taking authority away from the independent safety agency that has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades. The order comes as demand for electricity surges amid a boom in energy-hungry data centers and artificial intelligence. Tech companies, venture capitalists, states and others are competing for electricity and straining the nation's electric grid. "We've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. "What we do in the next five years related to electricity is going to determine the next 50'' years in the industry. Still, it's unlikely the U.S. could quadruple its nuclear production in the timeframe the White House specified. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two reactors, at a nuclear plant in Georgia, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Trump is enthusiastic At the Oval Office signing, Trump, surrounded by industry executives, called nuclear a "hot industry," adding, "It's time for nuclear, and we're going to do it very big." Burgum and other speakers said the industry has stagnated and has been choked by overregulation. "Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry," said Burgum, who chairs Trump's newly formed Energy Dominance Council. The orders would reorganize the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure quicker reviews of nuclear projects, including an 18-month deadline for the NRC to act on industry applications. The measures also create a pilot program intended to place three new experimental reactors online by July 4, 2026 -- 13 months from now -- and invoke the Defense Production Act to allow emergency measures to ensure the U.S. has the reactor fuel needed for a modernized nuclear energy sector. The administration is focused on boosting nuclear as "affordable, reliable, safe and secure power," said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The executive orders send a signal that "America will build again," Kratsios said. Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed that sentiment on social media, posting that more reliable, secure and affordable energy sources -- like geothermal, nuclear and natural gas -- are the key to remaining the world's energy powerhouse. Trump has signed a spate of executive orders promoting oil, gas and coal that warm the planet when burned to produce electricity. Nuclear reactors generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. Trump said reactors are safe and clean, but did not mention climate benefits. The order to reorganize the NRC will include significant staff reductions but is not intended to fire NRC commissioners who lead the agency. David Wright, a former South Carolina elected official and utility commissioner, chairs the five-member panel. His term ends June 30, and it is unclear if he will be reappointed. Critics have trepidations Critics say the White House moves could compromise safety and violate legal frameworks such as the Atomic Energy Act. Compromising the independence of the NRC or encouraging it to be circumvented entirely could weaken the agency and make regulation less effective, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Simply put, the U.S. nuclear industry will fail if safety is not made a priority," he said. A number of countries are speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of smaller nuclear reactors to meet a surging demand for electricity and supply it carbon-free. Last year, Congress passed legislation that former President Joe Biden signed to modernize the licensing of new reactor technologies so they can be built faster. This month, the power company in Ontario, Canada, began building the first of four small nuclear reactors. Valar Atomics is a nuclear reactor developer in California. Founder and CEO Isaiah Taylor said nuclear development and innovation in the United States has been slowed by too much red tape, while Russia and China are speeding ahead. He said he's most excited about the mandate for the Energy Department to speed up the pace of innovation. The NRC is currently reviewing applications from companies and a utility that want to build small nuclear reactors to begin providing power in the early 2030s. Currently, the NRC expects its reviews to take three years or less. Radiant Nuclear is a clean energy startup based in El Segundo, California, that is building a nuclear microreactor. Chief Operating Officer Tori Shivanandan said the administration's support for the advanced nuclear industry will help ensure its success, and the executive orders mark a "watershed moment" for nuclear power. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Trump signs orders to boost nuclear power, including reduced environmental review

President Trump on Friday signed executive orders that aim to bolster nuclear power, including by scaling back environmental reviews. The president signed four orders, including one that directs an evaluation of whether the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is too cautious in terms of acceptable levels of radiation exposure. Trump's orders are also expected to require the commission to decide whether to approve a nuclear reactor within 18 months, speeding up a process that typically takes many years to complete. The commission's environmental reviews alone typically take two to three years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency that regulates nuclear power plants. Another order Trump is signing is expected to allow the Energy and Defense departments to build nuclear reactors on federally owned lands, allowing nuclear energy to power defense and artificial intelligence operations. Trump was also expected to sign orders that speed up nuclear reactor testing at national labs and bolster domestic uranium mining and enrichment. Broadly, the Trump administration has sought to bolster domestic energy production from sources including fossil fuels and nuclear. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios described the orders as Trump taking "historic action to ensure America's energy dominance and provide affordable, reliable, safe and secure energy to the American people." "With these actions, President Trump is telling the world that America will build again, and American nuclear renaissance can begin," Kratsios told reporters. Nuclear energy's supporters point out that it is carbon-free and dispatchable, meaning it can be turned on and off as needed. Its opponents raise concerns about radiation exposure, disposal of nuclear waste and the possibility of nuclear meltdowns. Trump was also expected to sign a separate executive order related to scientific research more generally.

Trump Signs Executive Orders to Boost Nuclear Power, Speed up Approvals

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump signed executive orders Friday intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, a goal experts say the United States is highly unlikely to reach. To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. energy secretary authority to approve advanced reactor designs and projects, taking authority away from the independent safety agency that has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades. The order comes as demand for electricity surges amid a boom in energy-hungry data centers and artificial intelligence. Tech companies, venture capitalists, states and others are competing for electricity and straining the nation's electric grid. "We've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. "What we do in the next five years related to electricity is going to determine the next 50" years in the industry. Still, it's unlikely the U.S. could quadruple its nuclear production in the timeframe the White House specified. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two reactors, at a nuclear plant in Georgia, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Trump is enthusiastic At the Oval Office signing, Trump, surrounded by industry executives, called nuclear a "hot industry," adding, "It's time for nuclear, and we're going to do it very big." Burgum and other speakers said the industry has stagnated and has been choked by overregulation. "Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry,'' said Burgum, who chairs Trump's newly formed Energy Dominance Council. The orders would reorganize the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ensure quicker reviews of nuclear projects, including an 18-month deadline for the NRC to act on industry applications. The measures also create a pilot program intended to place three new experimental reactors online by July 4, 2026 -- 13 months from now -- and invoke the Defense Production Act to allow emergency measures to ensure the U.S. has the reactor fuel needed for a modernized nuclear energy sector. The administration is focused on boosting nuclear as "affordable, reliable, safe and secure power," said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The executive orders send a signal that "America will build again," Kratsios said. Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed that sentiment on social media, posting that more reliable, secure and affordable energy sources -- like geothermal, nuclear and natural gas -- are the key to remaining the world's energy powerhouse. Trump has signed a spate of executive orders promoting oil, gas and coal that warm the planet when burned to produce electricity. Nuclear reactors generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. Trump said reactors are safe and clean, but did not mention climate benefits. The order to reorganize the NRC will include significant staff reductions but is not intended to fire NRC commissioners who lead the agency. David Wright, a former South Carolina elected official and utility commissioner, chairs the five-member panel. His term ends June 30, and it is unclear if he will be reappointed. Critics have trepidations Critics say the White House moves could compromise safety and violate legal frameworks such as the Atomic Energy Act. Compromising the independence of the NRC or encouraging it to be circumvented entirely could weaken the agency and make regulation less effective, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Simply put, the U.S. nuclear industry will fail if safety is not made a priority," he said. A number of countries are speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of smaller nuclear reactors to meet a surging demand for electricity and supply it carbon-free. Last year, Congress passed legislation that former President Joe Biden signed to modernize the licensing of new reactor technologies so they can be built faster. This month, the power company in Ontario, Canada, began building the first of four small nuclear reactors. Valar Atomics is a nuclear reactor developer in California. Founder and CEO Isaiah Taylor said nuclear development and innovation in the United States has been slowed by too much red tape, while Russia and China are speeding ahead. He said he's most excited about the mandate for the Energy Department to speed up the pace of innovation. The NRC is currently reviewing applications from companies and a utility that want to build small nuclear reactors to begin providing power in the early 2030s. Currently, the NRC expects its reviews to take three years or less. Radiant Nuclear is a clean energy startup based in El Segundo, California, that is building a nuclear microreactor. Chief Operating Officer Tori Shivanandan said the administration's support for the advanced nuclear industry will help ensure its success, and the executive orders mark a "watershed moment" for nuclear power. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Factbox-Inside U.S. Nuclear Energy Landscape as Trump Seeks to Fast-Track Reactor Approvals

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday directed the country's independent nuclear regulator to ease rules and accelerate approvals for new reactors and power plants, aiming to cut licensing timeline from several years to just 18 months. The move was part of a series of executive orders intended to boost domestic nuclear energy production amid surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the U.S., the senior White House official said. Here is a snapshot of the U.S. nuclear energy landscape: DOMESTIC PRODUCTIONTotal uranium concentrate production touched 676,939 pounds of U3O8 in 2024, more than triple the output recorded in 2023. GENERATING CAPACITY U.S. monthly nuclear power generation remained steady, peaking in January 2025 at over 71 million megawatt-hours, nearly 4% higher than in January last year. TOTAL NUCLEAR FUEL IMPORTS Owners and operators of U.S. civilian nuclear reactors remain heavily reliant on uranium imports: foreign sources dominated deliveries in 2023, with Canada supplying 27%, followed by Australia and Kazakhstan at 22% each. PROJECT STATUS U.S. uranium in-situ recovery plants have a combined permitted capacity of 41 million pounds of U3O8 annually, with leading production sites in Wyoming and Texas. (Reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

Trump Seeks to Fast-Track New Nuclear Licenses, Overhaul Regulatory Agency

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the nation's independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants on Friday, seeking to shrink a multi-year process down to 18 months. The requirement was part of a batch of executive orders signed by Trump on Friday that aim to boost U.S. nuclear energy production amid a boom in demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. Licensing for reactors in the U.S. can take over a decade at times, a process designed to prioritize nuclear safety but which has discouraged new projects. "With these actions, President Trump is telling the world that America will build again, and the American nuclear renaissance can begin," said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The moves include a substantial overhaul of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that includes looking at staffing levels and directing the Energy and Defense departments to work together to build nuclear plants on federal lands, a senior White House official said. The administration envisions the Department of Defense taking a prominent role in ordering reactors and installing them on military bases. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the United States, the senior White House official said. Trump declared a national energy emergency in January as one of his first acts in office, saying the U.S. had inadequate supplies of electricity to meet the country's growing needs, particularly for data centers that run artificial intelligence systems. Most of Trump's actions have focused on boosting fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, but administration officials also support nuclear power, which in recent years has attracted growing bipartisan support. Some Democrats endorse nuclear because the plants do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases, even as environmentalists have raised concerns about radioactive waste and reactor safety. Republicans, who are less concerned about global warming, support it because they say nuclear power plants could strengthen U.S. energy security. (Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams)

Trump orders changes to nuclear power regulations in bid to satisfy AI energy demands

The NNSA within the Department of Energy is tasked with ensuring the nation's nuclear arsenal is safe and secure, but it isn't safe from DOGE cuts. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders May 23 intended to overhaul the regulation of commercial nuclear reactors and speed the process of building and deploying nuclear power. During the signing, which was attended by the CEOs of major nuclear-related companies, Trump argued the "technology has come a long way, both in safety and cost." The orders realize a long-held Republican goal of deregulating nuclear power. According to a senior White House official, the four executive orders aim to expedite reactor research & development, streamline regulations to allow the Pentagon and other agencies to build reactors on federally owned land, change the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and sets new timelines for its consideration of construction permits, and expand domestic uranium production and enrichment capabilities. The NRC has overseen commercial nuclear reactors for 50 years since its creation in 1975. Amid concerns over overregulation, the U.S. has only two operational commercial reactors whose construction was approved since 1978. Joe Dominguez, the CEO of Constellation Energy, an electric utility company, said at the ceremony that "some of the largest companies in the world ... who need this energy for AI ... are now working with us to fund the development and construction of the next generation (of) nuclear." Dominguez, whose company operates the country's largest fleet of nuclear power plants, argued nuclear energy is best-suited to support AI data center needs due to its consistent, around-the-clock nature. Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, who today heads the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Energy Futures Initiative - organizations that work to reduce the risk of nuclear catastrophe - said the moves could increase safety or security risks. "Reorganizing and reducing the independence of the NRC could lead to the hasty deployment of advanced reactors with safety and security flaws," Moniz, a nuclear physicist who served under President Barack Obama, said. In a May 23 statement anticipating the executive orders, Moniz described "scaling safe and secure nuclear energy" as a "welcome contribution," but cautioned that doing so recklessly could "set back nuclear energy for a long time." If you have news tips related to nuclear threats and national security, please contact Davis Winkie via email at [email protected] or via the Signal encrypted messaging app at 770-539-3257. Davis Winkie's role covering nuclear threats and national security at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Trump to Sign Orders to Boost Nuclear Power as Soon as Friday, Sources Say

By Timothy Gardner, Jarrett Renshaw and Gram Slattery WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will sign executive orders as soon as Friday that aim to jumpstart the nuclear energy industry by easing the regulatory process on approvals for new reactors and strengthening fuel supply chains, four sources familiar said. Facing the first rise in power demand in two decades from the boom in artificial intelligence, Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office. Chris Wright, the energy secretary, has said the race to develop power sources and data centers needed for AI is "Manhattan Project 2", referring to the massive U.S. program during World War II to develop atomic bombs. A draft summary of the orders said Trump will invoke the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency over U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing and advanced reactor inputs. The summary also directs agencies to permit and site new nuclear facilities and directs the Departments of Energy and Defense to identify federal lands and facilities for nuclear deployment and to streamline processes to get them built. It also encourages the Energy Department to use loan guarantees and direct loans to increase the build out of reactors. Trump only used the Loan Programs Office in his first administration to support a large nuclear plant in Georgia. The LPO has now has hundreds of billions of dollars in financing thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's administration, but has been hit hard by job cuts during Trump's second administration. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The exact text and wording of draft executive orders is subject to frequent changes and there is no guarantee elements of the EOs will not be excised or modified during the final stages of the review process. The United States was the first developer of nuclear power and has the most nuclear power capacity in the world, but the energy source is now growing the fastest in China. One of the sources said officials from the industry including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, a utility with the biggest U.S. reactor capacity, were invited to attend a signing ceremony Friday afternoon. Constellation and NEI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has been debating four draft executive orders to boost nuclear power that sought ways to give the administration more power to approve reactors and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body of five panelists that approves reactors. Nuclear is popular with Democrats for being virtually free in carbon emissions and with Republicans for providing reliable electricity compared to wind and solar power which can be intermittent, a problem that can be managed with battery storage. Nuclear power produces radioactive waste which for which there is no permanent repository in the United States. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alistair Bell)

Nuclear Power Stocks Jump on Report of New Trump Support for the Industry

Reuters said an executive order that could be signed today is expected to speed up approval of new reactors and strengthen fuel supply chains. Shares of nuclear energy companies, including Constellation Energy (CEG) and Oklo (OKLO), powered higher Friday morning on indications President Donald Trump is set to help boost the industry. Reuters reported the president is expected to sign an executive order as early as today aimed at streamlining the regulatory process for approving new reactors and enhancing fuel supply chains. Demand for nuclear energy has soared as tech companies racing to take advantage of the boom in artificial intelligence (AI) are looking for ways to get the massive amounts of electricity needed to run their data centers. In a note to clients, Wedbush wrote that the need for AI computing power is expected to skyrocket over the next 5-10 years, and that "takes up a tremendous amount of energy." The analysts noted that while the administration has already taken some steps to encourage nuclear power, this new executive order "is expected to be a significant tailwind for the industry." The analysts added that Oklo has been one of the key beneficiaries of the administration's nuclear industry support, and raised their price target to $55 from $45.

Nuclear stocks surge up to 19% on report of Trump executive orders to boost industry

Nuclear power companies' shares surged following reports that President Trump plans to sign executive orders to boost the industry. These orders aim to streamline reactor approvals and strengthen fuel supply chains. Increased power consumption, driven by AI and crypto data centers, is expected to further benefit the nuclear energy sector, considered a cleaner and more reliable energy source.Shares of nuclear power companies surged after a report that U.S. President Donald Trump would sign executive orders as early as Friday to jumpstart the industry. Trump is expected to streamline the regulatory process for new reactor approvals and enhance fuel supply chains, Reuters reported citing four sources familiar with the matter. U.S. power consumption is expected to touch record highs in 2025 and 2026, after stagnating for nearly two decades, as power-hungry data centers dedicated to AI and crypto miners plug into the grid. "Our confidence in the AI revolution data center buildout is increasing under the Trump administration, with nuclear energy ultimately playing a key role in powering data centers," Wedbush analysts said in a note. Uranium Energy Corp rose by $1.01 or 19.57% to $6.17, Energy Fuels Inc gained $0.47 or 10.44% to $4.97, Centrus Energy Corp jumped $13.94 or 14.96% to $107.11, and Cameco Corp advanced $3.98 or 7.54% to $56.79. Nuclear energy has garnered renewed interest from investors and companies, as it is considered to be a cleaner source of fuel and more reliable than wind or solar energy. The industry is also expected to benefit from Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill, which rolled back many green-energy subsidies but preserved tax credits for nuclear energy. "We are clearly witnessing the billowing of tailwinds behind the broader nuclear industry," H.C. Wainwright analysts said.

Nuclear Stocks Oklo, Nano Nuclear, Constellation Energy Surge In Friday Pre-Market: What's Going On? - Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG), GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV)

Sam Altman-backed Oklo Inc. OKLO and Nano Nuclear Energy Inc. surged 19.79% and 17.34%, respectively, while nuclear utilities like Constellation Energy Corp CEG and GE Vernova Inc. GEV climbed 5.27% and 2.87%, each, during the pre-market trading session on Friday ahead of President Donald Trump's reported signing of executive orders aimed at revitalizing the U.S. nuclear energy industry. What Happened: The news of the impending executive orders has caused a surge in nuclear energy stocks. The orders, expected to be signed on Friday, will focus on expediting the regulatory procedure for new reactor approvals and strengthening fuel supply chains, as per Reuters. These actions are reportedly in response to surging power demand fueled by the artificial intelligence boom. They also aim to reduce U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium and other nuclear materials, invoking the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency. Trump's Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, has likened the urgency of developing data centers and power sources for AI to the "Manhattan Project 2," a reference to the U.S.'s WWII program to develop atomic bombs. The orders will instruct federal agencies to pinpoint sites and facilities suitable for nuclear deployment, simplify approval procedures and promote the use of loan guarantees and direct loans by the Energy Department to accelerate reactor construction. SEE ALSO: Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' Bill Strips Key Retirement Benefits From Federal Workers In Razor-Thin House Vote Get StartedEarn 7.2% -- No Matter What the Fed Does Markets expect rate cuts -- but your earnings don't have to suffer. Lock in 7.2% until 2028 from ten individual bonds. Get Started Why It Matters: The potential resurgence of the U.S. nuclear industry has been a topic of discussion. Earlier this week, Cathie Wood's Ark Invest suggested that nuclear energy could become the cheapest power source, potentially overtaking solar. This prediction was based on the promise of reliable baseload energy offered by nuclear power, which had been overshadowed by rising costs. The Trump administration considered four draft executive orders aimed at promoting nuclear power by expanding its authority to approve reactors and reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These executive orders, if implemented, could potentially reshape the energy landscape and have a significant impact on the global energy market., stated Reuters. The United States, the pioneer and current leader in nuclear power capacity, is now being outpaced by China in the rapid growth of this energy source. That being said, nuclear power generates radioactive waste and the United States currently lacks a permanent repository to store it. READ MORE: Bitcoin Breaks $111,000 As Experts Hail 'Regime Shift' - Benzinga Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. CEGConstellation Energy Corp$306.985.32%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum88.35GrowthNot AvailableQualityNot AvailableValue51.92Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewGEVGE Vernova Inc$472.993.09%OKLOOklo Inc$47.0318.4%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Trump to sign orders to boost nuclear power as soon as Friday, sources say

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will sign executive orders as soon as Friday that aim to jumpstart the nuclear energy industry by easing the regulatory process on approvals for new reactors and strengthening fuel supply chains, four sources familiar said. Facing the first rise in power demand in two decades from the boom in artificial intelligence, Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office. Chris Wright, the energy secretary, has said the race to develop power sources and data centers needed for AI is "Manhattan Project 2", referring to the massive U.S. program during World War II to develop atomic bombs. A draft summary of the orders said Trump will invoke the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency over U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing and advanced reactor inputs. The summary also directs agencies to permit and site new nuclear facilities and directs the Departments of Energy and Defense to identify federal lands and facilities for nuclear deployment and to streamline processes to get them built. It also encourages the Energy Department to use loan guarantees and direct loans to increase the build out of reactors. Trump only used the Loan Programs Office in his first administration to support a large nuclear plant in Georgia. The LPO has now has hundreds of billions of dollars in financing thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's administration, but has been hit hard by job cuts during Trump's second administration. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The exact text and wording of draft executive orders is subject to frequent changes and there is no guarantee elements of the EOs will not be excised or modified during the final stages of the review process. The United States was the first developer of nuclear power and has the most nuclear power capacity in the world, but the energy source is now growing the fastest in China. One of the sources said officials from the industry including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, a utility with the biggest U.S. reactor capacity, were invited to attend a signing ceremony Friday afternoon. Constellation and NEI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has been debating four draft executive orders to boost nuclear power that sought ways to give the administration more power to approve reactors and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body of five panelists that approves reactors. Nuclear is popular with Democrats for being virtually free in carbon emissions and with Republicans for providing reliable electricity compared to wind and solar power which can be intermittent, a problem that can be managed with battery storage. Nuclear power produces radioactive waste which for which there is no permanent repository in the United States. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alistair Bell) By Timothy Gardner, Jarrett Renshaw and Gram Slattery

Nuclear stocks surge on report Trump executive orders to boost industry

(Reuters) -Shares of nuclear power companies surged after a report that U.S. President Donald Trump would sign executive orders as soon as Friday to jumpstart the industry. Trump is expected to streamline the regulatory process for new reactor approvals and enhance fuel supply chains, Reuters reported citing four sources familiar with the matter. U.S. power consumption is estimated to touch record highs in 2025 and 2026, after stagnating for nearly two decades, as power-hungry data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and crypto miners plug into the grid. "Our confidence in the AI revolution data center buildout is increasing under the Trump administration, with nuclear energy ultimately playing a key role in powering data centers," Wedbush analysts said. Shares of uranium mining companies Uranium Energy, Energy Fuels and Centrus Energy jumped between 10% and 19%. Canadian miner Cameco was up 6.6%. The Global X Uranium ETF, which invests in a broad range of uranium-linked stocks, rose more than 9%. Nuclear utilities Constellation Energy, Vistra, GE Vernova all added more than 1% in morning trading. Nuclear energy has garnered renewed interest from investors and companies, as it is considered to be a cleaner source of fuel and more reliable than wind or solar energy. The industry is also expected to benefit from Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill, which rolled back many green-energy subsidies but preserved tax credits for nuclear energy. "We are clearly witnessing the billowing of tailwinds behind the broader nuclear industry," H.C. Wainwright analysts said. Nano Nuclear Energy led the gains for companies involved in developing new nuclear technology, with its shares surging more than 22%. Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup Oklo gained 20.7%, while NuScale Power soared 14.2%. (Reporting by Medha Singh and Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Shilpi Majumdar)

Trump seeks to fast-track new nuclear licenses, overhaul regulatory agency

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the nation's independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants on Friday, seeking to shrink a multi-year process down to 18 months. The requirement was part of a batch of executive orders signed by Trump on Friday that aim to boost U.S. nuclear energy production amid a boom in demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. Licensing for reactors in the U.S. can take over a decade at times, a process designed to prioritize nuclear safety but which has discouraged new projects. "This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry," U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who heads the White House Energy Dominance Council, said in the Oval Office. The moves include a substantial overhaul of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that includes looking at staffing levels and directing the Energy and Defense departments to work together to build nuclear plants on federal lands, a senior White House official said. The administration envisions the Department of Defense taking a prominent role in ordering reactors and installing them on military bases. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the United States, the senior White House official said. Constellation Energy Group CEO Joseph Dominguez said the president's actions would help normalize the regulatory process. "We're wasting too much time on permitting, and we're answering silly questions, not the important ones," Dominguez said during the signing event. Trump declared a national energy emergency in January as one of his first acts in office, saying the U.S. had inadequate supplies of electricity to meet the country's growing needs, particularly for data centers that run artificial intelligence systems. Most of Trump's actions have focused on boosting fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, but administration officials also support nuclear power, which in recent years has attracted growing bipartisan support. Some Democrats endorse nuclear because the plants do not emit planet-warming greenhouse gases, even as environmentalists have raised concerns about radioactive waste and reactor safety. Republicans, who are less concerned about global warming, support it because they say nuclear power plants could strengthen U.S. energy security. (Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams)

Inside U.S. nuclear energy landscape as Trump seeks to fast-track reactor approvals

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday directed the country's independent nuclear regulator to ease rules and accelerate approvals for new reactors and power plants, aiming to cut licensing timeline from several years to just 18 months. The move was part of a series of executive orders intended to boost domestic nuclear energy production amid surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the U.S., the senior White House official said. Here is a snapshot of the U.S. nuclear energy landscape: DOMESTIC PRODUCTIONTotal uranium concentrate production touched 676,939 pounds of U3O8 in 2024, more than triple the output recorded in 2023. GENERATING CAPACITY U.S. monthly nuclear power generation remained steady, peaking in January 2025 at over 71 million megawatt-hours, nearly 4% higher than in January last year. TOTAL NUCLEAR FUEL IMPORTS Owners and operators of U.S. civilian nuclear reactors remain heavily reliant on uranium imports: foreign sources dominated deliveries in 2023, with Canada supplying 27%, followed by Australia and Kazakhstan at 22% each. PROJECT STATUS U.S. uranium in-situ recovery plants have a combined permitted capacity of 41 million pounds of U3O8 annually, with leading production sites in Wyoming and Texas. (Reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

Nuclear stocks surge on report of Trump executive orders to boost industry

(Reuters) -Shares of nuclear power companies surged in premarket trading after a report that U.S. President Donald Trump would sign executive orders as early as Friday to jumpstart the industry. Trump is expected to streamline the regulatory process for new reactor approvals and enhance fuel supply chains, Reuters reported citing four sources familiar with the matter. U.S. power consumption is expected to touch record highs in 2025 and 2026, after stagnating for nearly two decades, as power-hungry data centers dedicated to AI and crypto miners plug into the grid. "Our confidence in the AI revolution data center buildout is increasing under the Trump administration, with nuclear energy ultimately playing a key role in powering data centers," Wedbush analysts said in a note. Uranium mining stocks led the gains, with Uranium Energy, Energy Fuels and Centrus Energy surging between 15% and 18%. U.S.-listed shares of Cameco were up 6.8%, while the Global X Uranium ETF rose nearly 9%. Nuclear utilities Constellation Energy gained 5.3%, while Vistra and GE Vernova advanced between 2% and 3.4%. Nuclear energy has garnered renewed interest from investors and companies, as it is considered to be a cleaner source of fuel and more reliable than wind or solar energy. The industry is also expected to benefit from Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill, which rolled back many green-energy subsidies but preserved tax credits for nuclear energy. "We are clearly witnessing the billowing of tailwinds behind the broader nuclear industry," H.C. Wainwright analysts said. Shares of companies involved in developing new nuclear technology, such as small modular reactors, also gained on Friday. Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup Oklo surged nearly 18%, while Nano Nuclear Energy and NuScale Power soared more than 15% each. (Reporting by Medha Singh and Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Shilpi Majumdar)

Nuclear stocks surge after Trump signs orders to boost industry

(Reuters) -Shares of nuclear power companies closed higher on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders seeking to jumpstart the industry. The orders direct the nation's independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants. U.S. power consumption is estimated to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, after stagnating for nearly two decades, as power-hungry data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and crypto miners plug into the grid. "Our confidence in the AI revolution data center buildout is increasing under the Trump administration, with nuclear energy ultimately playing a key role in powering data centers," Wedbush analysts said. The orders also seek to reinvigorate uranium production and enrichment in the U.S. to help meet surging power demand. Shares of uranium mining companies Uranium Energy, Energy Fuels and Centrus Energy jumped between 19.6% and 24.2%. Canadian miner Cameco was up nearly 10%. The Global X Uranium ETF, which invests in a broad range of uranium-linked stocks, rose more than 11.6%. Nuclear utilities Constellation Energy, Vistra, GE Vernova all added more than 1.2%. Nuclear energy has garnered renewed interest from investors and companies, as it is considered to be a cleaner source of fuel and more reliable than wind or solar energy. The industry is also expected to benefit from Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill, which rolled back many green-energy subsidies but preserved tax credits for nuclear energy. "We are clearly witnessing the billowing of tailwinds behind the broader nuclear industry," H.C. Wainwright analysts said. Nano Nuclear Energy led the gains for companies involved in developing new nuclear technology, with its shares surging more than 30%. Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup Oklo gained 23.1%, while NuScale Power soared 19.6%. (Reporting by Medha Singh and Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Pooja Menon; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Shilpi Majumdar)