US President Donald Trump signed three decrees in May aimed at a large-scale reform of the country’s nuclear energy, as well as gave mandate to resume construction of new nuclear power units.
The most significant changes concern the activities of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which Trump has criticized for being overly cautious and blocking the industry’s development. Since 1978, this body has approved only a handful of new reactor designs, while 133 reactors were commissioned between 1954 and 1978.
“For the last 30 years we have stopped building nuclear reactors in America – it ends now”, – said the director of the Office of Science and Technology of the White House, Michael Kratsios.
The new regulations envisage a reduction in licensing terms: up to 18 months for new facilities and up to 12 months for continued operation of existing reactors. The Ministry of Energy is tasked with speeding up testing procedures for the latest nuclear technologies. A pilot program is also being launched to commission at least three reactors by July 4, 2026.
One of the key initiatives was the restoration of the national production of nuclear fuel. The government plans to expand uranium enrichment and conversion facilities, as well as move from disposal of spent fuel to its reuse.
By 2030, the US should modernize existing nuclear facilities, increasing the total capacity of nuclear generation by 5 gigawatts, and begin construction of ten new large reactors. The priority is the launch of new advanced technologies and the restart of closed stations. In a strategic perspective, by 2050, the United States plans to increase total nuclear capacity from the current 100 to 400 gigawatts.
The White House website notes that nuclear power will play a critical role in powering future industries such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and microchip manufacturing.
