Trump Signs Orders to Boost U.S. Nuclear Power

President Donald Trump has signed four executive orders aimed at accelerating the U.S. nuclear energy sector, including streamlining regulatory approvals, expanding uranium mining and enrichment, and expediting domestic reactor construction. The orders transfer authority for certain advanced reactor approvals from the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to the Department of Energy and set an 18-month deadline for reactor licensing. The initiative is intended to meet increasing electricity demand, particularly from artificial intelligence, and to reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. The orders also direct new reactor development on federal lands. The move has prompted positive market reactions, bipartisan support, and debate over both the feasibility of rapidly expanding nuclear output and the scope of executive power over the NRC. Despite enthusiasm, analysts caution that near-term impacts will be limited due to the lengthy timelines of nuclear projects.