Trump Administration Marks One Year Since Nuclear Energy Executive Orders

Saturday marks one year since President Donald Trump signed four executive orders on nuclear energy. The orders directed federal agencies to revise licensing procedures and accelerate testing of advanced reactors. U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. They also called for three small test reactors to reach criticality by July 4, 2026.

Ten companies and eleven projects were selected for a Department of Energy pilot program. The agency reduced its approval steps from 17 to 11. As of May, three projects had completed Final Documented Safety Analyses. Aalo Atomics and Antares Nuclear stated their reactors remain on track for the July deadline.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission lost dozens of employees after the orders were issued. The agency created a new office for advanced reactor licensing and rescinded several duplicative rules. Chairman Ho K. Nieh stated the agency is applying regulatory work developed over the past decade. The NRC completed one license renewal review in under twelve months.

A separate order directed the Pentagon to place a reactor at a domestic military base by September 2028. The Army selected nine bases for microreactors under the Janus Program. The Air Force chose three companies to develop a microreactor expected to operate by 2030. Another project at Eielson Air Force Base is planned for 2027.