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.
The CEOs of several nuclear energy companies — including Joseph Dominguez of Constellation Energy, Jacob DeWitte of Oklo and Scott Nolan of General Matter — stood alongside the president, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum while Trump signed the executive orders.
In remarks before the president signed the orders, Burgum said that they would "turn the clock back on over fifty years of overregulation of an industry," adding later that "each of these help attack separate issues that have held back this industry."
Meanwhile, Trump described the nuclear energy industry as "hot," telling reporters, "It's a hot industry. It's a brilliant industry. You have to do it right."
A senior administration official who briefed reporters ahead of the signing 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.
Dominguez, in remarks before Trump signed the orders, lauded the president's decision to shorten the nuclear regulatory process, saying that, "The problem in the industry has historically been regulatory delay."
"We’re wasting too much time on permitting, and we’re answering silly questions, not the important ones," he added later.
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, 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."
