President Trump on May 23 signed a series of executive orders that, among other things, call for the reform of the reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the rapid deployment of advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives.
Trump also signed executive orders that aim to expedite and promote the production and operation of nuclear energy and call for reforming and streamlining National Laboratory processes for reactor testing at the Department of Energy.
NRC Reform
Trump signed an Executive Order directing the reform of the NRC “in order to reduce our dependence on foreign technologies, decrease regulatory barriers, and support our domestic nuclear industry,” a White House fact sheet said.
The Executive Order directs the NRC to complete rulemakings within 18 months to comprehensively revise its regulations and guidance documents, with a focus on balancing safety concerns with the benefits of nuclear energy for our economy and national security, the fact sheet said.
The revisions will include:
• Establishing fixed deadlines for evaluation and approval of licenses, including an 18-month deadline for construction and operation of new reactors and a 12-month deadline for continued operation of an existing reactor.
• Adopting science-based radiation limits, instead of relying on flawed radiation exposure models.
• Revising regulations governing compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Establishing an expedited pathway for approving reactor designs that have been safely tested by the Department of Defense or Department of Energy.
• Establishing a process for high-volume licensing of microreactors and modular reactors, including allowing for standardized applications.
• Reconsidering regulations limiting license terms, extending those terms as appropriate.
Trump is also directing the NRC to reform its culture and realign its organization to reflect Congress’ directive to rapidly promote nuclear power while ensuring reactor safety, the fact sheet said:
• When licensing and regulating civilian nuclear power, the NRC is directed to consider the benefits of nuclear power to our economic and national security in addition to traditional concerns regarding safety, health, and environmental factors.
• The Order directs a reorganization of the NRC to promote the expeditious processing of license applications and the adoption of innovative technology.
• The NRC will create a dedicated team to draft the new regulations directed by the Order.
The Executive Order also establishes that U.S. policy will seek to facilitate the increased deployment of new nuclear reactor technologies and expand American nuclear energy capacity from around 100 GW today to 400 GW by 2050.
Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies
A separate executive order signed by Trump calls for the rapid deployment of advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives, including powering artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure and national security installations.
The Order directs the Secretary of the Army to establish a program of record to build a nuclear reactor at a domestic military installation to commence operations within the next three years.
It also directs the Secretary of Energy to designate AI data centers, located at or operated in coordination with Department of Energy facilities, as critical defense facilities, and the nuclear reactors powering them as defense critical electric infrastructure.
The Secretary of Energy will designate DOE sites, and work with the private sector, to deploy advanced nuclear technology to power AI infrastructure and meet other national security objectives within 30 months.
Also, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Secretaries of the military departments, is tasked with making legislative and regulatory recommendations regarding the operation of advanced nuclear reactors on military installations.
A fact sheet related to this executive order said that “President Trump is taking comprehensive actions to remove government barriers to private sector investment and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies at Federal sites.”
The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Energy to release at least 20 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium into a readily available fuel bank for private sector projects operating nuclear reactors to power AI infrastructure at DOE sites.
Also, the Secretaries of Energy and Defense will utilize their authorities to enable the construction and operation of privately-funded nuclear fuel recycling, reprocessing, and fabrication capabilities at Federal sites.
The order directs the Secretaries of Energy and Defense to explore using categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act for the construction of advanced nuclear reactor technologies on Federal sites.
Also, federal departments will prioritize the issuance of security clearances to support the rapid distribution and use of nuclear energy and fuel cycle technologies.
Trump “is fully leveraging the resources of the Federal government to promote the U.S. nuclear industry in the development of commercial civil nuclear projects worldwide,” the fact sheet said.
The Executive Order tasks the Secretary of State or his delegee to lead diplomatic engagement and negotiations for agreements under section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act to enable the U.S. nuclear industry to access new markets in partner countries.
Within 90 days, the Federal government will produce strategies to increase financing for U.S. nuclear projects and promote nuclear trade and make financial and technical support available to support foreign adoption of nuclear energy.
The Order directs the Secretary of State to implement a program to enhance the global competitiveness of American nuclear companies by expediting agreements and removing burdens on American exports.
The Nuclear Industrial Base
A third executive order signed by Trump calls for expediting and promoting the production and operation of nuclear energy.
The order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to report on a recommended national policy to support spent nuclear fuel management, an evaluation of policies regarding commercial recycling and reprocessing of nuclear fuels, and recommendations for the efficient use of nuclear waste materials.
The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Director of OMB, will develop a plan to expand domestic uranium conversion capacity and enrichment capabilities to meet projected civilian and defense reactor needs.
The order directs the Secretary of Energy to create a program to dispose of surplus plutonium by processing and making it available for advanced reactor fuel fabrication, stopping the surplus plutonium disposition program other than with respect to existing legal obligations.
Trump “is leveraging the Defense Production Act to seek voluntary agreements with domestic nuclear energy companies for the procurement of enriched uranium and for consultation regarding methods to enhance domestic capability to manage spent nuclear fuel,” a White House fact sheet noted.
The Secretary of Energy is authorized to support the establishment of nuclear industry consortia by ensuring offtake for newly established domestic fuel supply across milling, conversion/deconversion, enrichment, fabrication, and recycling and reprocessing.
The fact sheet said Trump is leveraging the full suite of Federal financial resources to support the restart, completion, uprate, and construction of nuclear plants.
The Department of Energy will prioritize the facilitation of 5 GW of power uprates to existing nuclear reactors and construction on 10 new large reactors by 2030.
Federal loans and loan guarantees will be prioritized to support increased nuclear energy, including restarting closed nuclear power plants and completing construction of prematurely suspended plants.
The order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to prioritize funding for companies with potential for near-term deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
“President Trump is taking action to expand pathways for Americans to gain employment in the domestic nuclear workforce,” the fact sheet said.
Nuclear engineering and nuclear energy-related careers will be considered priority areas for actions directed pursuant to Executive Order 14278 and the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education will increase participation in nuclear energy-related registered apprenticeships and career and technical education programs.
The Secretary of Energy will increase access to R&D infrastructure, workforce, and expertise at Department of Energy National Laboratories for college and university nuclear engineering students.
“To enable the long-term expansion of nuclear energy, the Federal government shall pursue policies to maximize the value of nuclear fuel and expand the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain,” the fact sheet said.
“The Nation’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure has severely atrophied, with domestic fuel sources supplying only about 5% of the fuel used in U.S. reactors. In addition to permitting challenges in mining the relevant minerals, in 1977 the Federal government introduced a policy that did not allow reprocessing of used fuel for commercial reactors, leaving the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of uranium as well as uranium enrichment and conversion services,” the fact sheet said.
“The United States possesses ample deposits of uranium and thorium that can power advanced nuclear reactors. The President has already taken decisive action to advance mining activities relevant to these minerals pursuant to his Executive Order ‘Immediate Measures to Increase Domestic Mineral Production.’”
The May 23 Executive Order supplements the Administration’s actions on mineral production “to ensure that we can not only mine, but also process and refine, nuclear fuel domestically. This is crucial for energy independence and national security,” the fact sheet said.
“Treatment of nuclear waste is one of the most difficult problems in the nuclear supply chain, and this Order brings together all relevant Federal agencies to develop implementable solutions.”
Also, 60% of the nuclear workforce is between the ages of 30 and 60, “and this Order takes decisive action to generate a pipeline of workers to supply the demand for this crucial industry.”
Nuclear Reactor Testing
Another executive order signed by Trump calls for reforming and streamlining National Laboratory processes for reactor testing at the Department of Energy.
The order finds that the design, construction, and operation of advanced reactors under sufficient Department of Energy control are, for the time being, for research purposes, and thus fall within DOE jurisdiction, a White House fact sheet said.
The Order tasks the Secretary of Energy with:
• Issuing guidance on what counts as a qualified test reactor and taking steps to expeditiously process applications for such reactors.
• Taking action to revise regulations, guidance, and procedures to significantly expedite the review, approval, and deployment of advanced reactors under DOE jurisdiction in order to enable operational test reactors within two years following a completed application.
• Creating a pilot program for the construction and operation of at least three reactors outside of the National Laboratories, but under contract with and for the account of DOE, with the goal of achieving criticality by July 4, 2026.
• Eliminating or expediting internal environmental review for authorizations, permits, approvals, and other activities related to reactor testing
“President Trump is committed to re-establishing the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy and securing a reliable, diversified, and affordable energy supply to drive American prosperity and technological advancement,” the fact sheet said.
While the United States led the development of civilian nuclear power through the Atomic Energy Commission, “the National Reactor Testing Station (now Idaho National Laboratory), and other Federal entities, the commercial deployment of new nuclear technologies has all but stopped in recent decades.”
The fact sheet said that overregulation by the Federal government “has stifled the domestic development and deployment of advanced reactors.”
While the United States “cultivated the effort to design and build the first Generation IV reactor for commercial use, we have since ceded the initiative to foreign nations in building these advanced reactors,” the White House said.
“Advanced reactors have revolutionary potential, opening a range of new applications to support data centers, microchip manufacturing, petrochemical production, healthcare, desalination, hydrogen production, and other industries.”
By maximizing DOE’s jurisdiction over next-generation nuclear technologies that are still in development, “this Executive Order ensures that America’s innovators have clear pathways to create nuclear technologies that will propel economic prosperity and bolster national security.”
