U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a series of executive orders aimed at dramatically accelerating the development of nuclear energy in the country. The orders instruct the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to streamline its licensing process—cutting approval timelines for new reactors and power plants from over a decade to just 18 months.
The initiative comes amid skyrocketing electricity demand from AI-powered data centers and is part of Trump’s broader strategy to boost domestic energy production. “This will undo more than 50 years of regulatory overreach,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who heads the White House Energy Dominance Council.
Trump’s executive orders mandate a sweeping review of NRC staffing and operations and call for close collaboration between the Departments of Energy and Defense to build nuclear plants on federal lands. The Pentagon is expected to take a leading role in commissioning reactors, particularly for installation on military bases.
In addition to licensing reforms, the administration is also targeting a revival of uranium mining and enrichment to support nuclear fuel supply chains.
Constellation Energy CEO Joseph Dominguez welcomed the move, arguing that the current permitting system delays innovation. “We’re wasting too much time on irrelevant questions instead of focusing on safety and efficiency,” he said at the signing ceremony.
Critics, however, voiced concern over reducing the NRC’s independence. Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz warned that rushed deployment of advanced technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) could result in security lapses. “Another major incident could set nuclear power back by decades,” he cautioned.
While Trump has focused primarily on fossil fuels during his term, nuclear energy has drawn bipartisan support for its zero-carbon emissions. Democrats view it as a climate solution, while Republicans highlight its energy security benefits.
However, financial hurdles remain. NuScale scrapped its SMR project in 2023 due to rising costs, and the Vogtle plant exceeded its budget by $16 billion. Meanwhile, Trump’s job cuts have weakened the Loan Programs Office, potentially limiting support for new reactor funding.
