New Hampshire Issues Executive Order to Assess Advanced Nuclear Reactor Deployment

The Governor of New Hampshire signed an executive order directing the state's Department of Energy to investigate conditions for deploying new nuclear generating capacity. The order also mandates the development of a statewide nuclear energy roadmap. Against a backdrop of renewed global interest in nuclear power, the global nuclear industry awaits decisive milestones in 2026 across several countries. Nuclear energy already accounts for approximately 57% of New Hampshire's electricity generation, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Six Investigation Areas Mandated by the Order

The order outlines six areas for the Department of Energy to investigate: the willingness of nuclear developers and investors to partner with regulated utilities or develop independently; cost recovery mechanisms protecting ratepayers from cost overruns; and the ability of regulated utilities to construct nuclear infrastructure. The review must also identify federal, state, and local regulatory barriers or enablers, available resources, and strategies to foster new generating capacity. Internationally, long-term nuclear supply contracts are multiplying, as illustrated by TotalEnergies and EDF's 12-year agreement for 400 MW, while other nations are pursuing strategic partnerships such as the agreement between Vietnam and Russia to build two nuclear plants.

The order sets a deadline of six months for a preliminary roadmap and twenty-four months for a final report. The document must identify the steps, milestones, and resources needed to attract and deploy nuclear generation in the state, while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, cost-effectiveness, and stakeholder alignment. Governor Ayotte stated that electricity bills for residents of the "Granite State" are "way too high" and that next-generation nuclear would expand energy supply and reduce costs for families. Jared Chicoine, Commissioner of the state's Department of Energy, said the next generation of nuclear power "could provide both our state and our region with economic benefits while increasing in-state generation."

NextEra Energy and the Seabrook Nuclear Plant

NextEra Energy Resources, along with its affiliate Florida Power & Light Company, operates the Seabrook nuclear power plant, New Hampshire's only nuclear facility. The pressurized water reactor (PWR), with a net capacity of 1,246 MWe, began supplying power in 1990 and is licensed to operate until 2050. The plant accounts for the bulk of nuclear power's contribution to the state's electricity mix.

In January, NextEra Energy said it could add up to 6 GWe of small modular reactor (SMR) generating capacity at its existing nuclear sites or potential new locations, primarily to meet growing demand from data centers. The viability of these projects will depend on financing mechanisms and the regulatory framework that New Hampshire's initiative seeks to clarify. The final report, due within twenty-four months, must also identify persistent barriers to nuclear development in the state and strategies to address them.