Trump Nuclear Power Update as New Order May Bring Back Cold War-Era Act
By Gabe Whisnant
ACold War-era statute could soon return to the forefront of American energy policy, as President Donald Trump prepares to sign a series of executive orders—possibly as soon as Friday—designed to jumpstart the domestic nuclear energy industry.
Four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the forthcoming orders aim to simplify the regulatory process for approving new nuclear reactors and to strengthen nuclear fuel supply chains amid mounting concerns over U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers.
Why it Matters
Facing the first significant increase in U.S. power demand in two decades—driven largely by the explosion of artificial intelligence technologies and the data centers powering them—Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day back in office. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has likened the new effort to a "Manhattan Project 2," invoking the scale and urgency of the U.S. government's World War II-era nuclear weapons program.
Newsweek has reached out to the Energy Department via email on Thursday night for comment.
Trump and nuclear power
Cooling tower one and two are seen at the nuclear reactor facility at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Waynesboro, Ga. Inset: President Donald Trump attends a Make America... More Associated Press
What to Know
President Trump's "National Energy Emergency" allows for increased mining and drilling from "coast to coast" for coal, crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products, and uranium.
A draft summary of the executive orders reviewed by Reuters indicates Trump will invoke the Defense Production Act, originally enacted during the Cold War, to declare a national emergency over reliance on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing, and components for advanced reactors. The orders also direct key federal agencies to identify lands and facilities suitable for nuclear energy development, while streamlining the permitting and construction process.
In addition, the Energy and Defense Departments are instructed to accelerate deployment strategies, while the Energy Department is encouraged to use loan guarantees and direct financing to support reactor construction. Although Trump's first administration utilized the Loan Programs Office (LPO) for a major nuclear project in Georgia, the office now oversees hundreds of billions of dollars in funding—thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's tenure. However, the LPO has since suffered major staff reductions under Trump's second term.
Despite the United States' legacy as the first nation to develop nuclear power and its continued lead in installed capacity, the industry's fastest growth is currently occurring in China. Nuclear energy remains politically unique, appealing to Democrats for its low carbon emissions and to Republicans for its reliability compared to intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. However, the long-standing issue of radioactive waste disposal remains unresolved, with no permanent U.S. repository currently in place.
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What People Are Saying
Edwin Lyman, Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote this week in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: "Despite giving lip service to the need to 'unleash' nuclear power, the actions of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former fossil fuel industry executive, have not matched the rhetoric. As part of the Trump administration's self-congratulatory celebration of its first 100 days, the Energy Department posted a list of '11 big wins for nuclear.' However, these were typically continuations of programs from previous administrations rather than radically new initiatives."
The Energy Department wrote last month, "The long-awaited nuclear renaissance is right around the corner thanks to President Trump as the Administration works to restore American energy dominance to bring more reliable, secure, and affordable power back to U.S. taxpayers."
Emmet Penney, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, told Nuclear Newswire that Trump's Department of Government Efficiency cuts (DOGE) could impact nuclear power initiatives: "As DOGE moves across the government, it is trying to downsize staff at various agencies across the board, and we are concerned that now that it's looking at the DOE (Energy) that we are going to see losses in the Loan Programs Office, which is already lean and highly efficient, compared to its private-sector peers.
He continued to Nuclear Newswire, "If we can't leverage the LPO to de-risk these projects so that private capital wants to lend for new nuclear, so that utilities want to buy new nuclear, and so that people want to build new nuclear, then new nuclear won't happen. The private sector cannot bear the risk. They will not bear the risk alone. This is especially true in an environment with ongoing ambiguity about supply chains and tariffs," Penney added. "The trade war and its uncertainties has elevated the LPO from 'important' to 'necessary.'"
What Happens Next
The exact language of the nuclear power executive order is still under review and subject to change. According to Reuters, representatives from leading energy stakeholders—including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, the utility with the largest U.S. nuclear fleet—have reportedly been invited to a signing ceremony scheduled for Friday afternoon.
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