Trump Signs Four Major Executive Orders to Quadruple U.S. Nuclear Production

Donald Trump announces four executive orders to quadruple U.S. nuclear energy production within 25 years, radically accelerate regulatory approvals, secure enriched uranium supplies, and address the surging energy demands linked to artificial intelligence.

Share:

U.S. President Donald Trump signed four significant executive orders on Friday aimed at revitalizing America’s civilian nuclear energy sector. With a stated goal of quadrupling the country’s nuclear power production capacity by 2050, the Trump administration seeks to dramatically transform the national energy landscape by drastically simplifying regulatory processes, strengthening industrial capabilities, and securing the domestic supply of enriched uranium. Currently, the United States operates 94 civilian nuclear reactors, averaging 42 years in age, necessitating swift renewal to meet steadily increasing energy consumption demands.

Major Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Central to this revitalization is a complete overhaul of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the body responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear sector. Among these orders, the NRC is mandated to complete license application reviews for the construction of new nuclear reactors within a maximum timeframe of 18 months, significantly faster than the several years typically required today. President Trump emphasized that these new procedures will be “very fast and very safe,” aimed at reassuring potential investors and industry stakeholders. A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, clarified that the immediate goal is to test and deploy new reactors before the end of Trump’s current term in January 2029.

Financial Markets Respond Strongly

The announcement of these measures immediately triggered a strong upward surge in nuclear-related company stocks on Friday morning. U.S. startup Oklo, specialized in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), recorded a spectacular increase of over 23%, briefly reaching $52.17 per share. NuScale Power, another company involved in advanced modular reactor technologies, also showed a significant gain, rising by nearly 19%. Major industry players, such as Constellation Energy and Vistra Corp., each saw stock increases exceeding 2%, bolstering market confidence in their ability to capitalize on the revitalization of U.S. nuclear energy. Cameco, a Canadian firm and one of the world’s leading uranium producers, also experienced an 11% jump in stock value, directly benefiting from improved prospects for American enriched uranium demand.

Energy Security and Competition with China

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum highlighted that these actions are part of a broader strategic effort to maintain U.S. competitiveness in energy and technology sectors, particularly against China. The Trump administration views access to stable and abundant energy as strategically essential, especially to power massive data infrastructure critical to the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI). The rising energy consumption of these facilities necessitates a reliable, carbon-free power source, positioning nuclear energy as a cornerstone of the long-term American technology strategy.

In this context, a large-scale project known as Stargate—led by Sam Altman’s OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle—plans colossal investments of up to $500 billion in constructing data centers and AI-related infrastructure in the United States. The Trump administration anticipates that these installations will directly benefit from increased energy capacity resulting from the accelerated deployment of advanced nuclear reactors.

Strengthening Domestic Uranium Supply

A critical component of Trump’s orders involves securing enriched uranium supplies, indispensable for U.S. nuclear reactor operations. Currently, the U.S. imports approximately 25% of its enriched uranium, notably from Russia, leaving the country exposed to significant geopolitical dependencies. Consequently, the Trump administration aims to substantially boost domestic uranium mining and enrichment capabilities to ensure strategic autonomy and reduce dependency on foreign sources amid escalating international tensions.

International Context and Global Nuclear Expansion

These American measures come at a time when several major global powers are also intensifying investments in nuclear energy. France, for instance, plans to build up to 14 new reactors by 2038 to maintain its technological and industrial leadership. China has a similar momentum, currently operating 57 nuclear reactors—matching France’s numbers—with an additional 27 reactors under construction. Meanwhile, Russia remains the world leader in nuclear plant exports, actively pursuing 26 projects, including six within its own borders.

High Expectations, Yet Expert Reservations

Despite the general enthusiasm triggered by these announcements, some experts express caution regarding the immediate impacts of the executive orders. Jonathan Hinze, president of nuclear fuel market analysis firm UxC, underscores the lack of additional governmental funding accompanying these directives. According to him, the real effectiveness of these measures will largely depend on how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) administers existing programs, particularly those financing nuclear fuel cycle projects. Rob Thummel, a senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital, nevertheless believes that major U.S. companies like Constellation Energy and Vistra remain strategically well-positioned to fully benefit from these regulatory and industrial reforms and from increased market interest in nuclear power.

These presidential executive orders thus signal a major transformative phase for the U.S. nuclear sector, with their practical implementation set to be closely monitored by financial markets and international observers in the coming months and years.

Lithuania establishes a working group tasked with assessing the feasibility of modular nuclear reactors to meet electricity demand estimated at 74 TWh by 2050.
Framatome has secured two significant contracts from Electrabel covering modernisation and technical support for the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear reactors, as part of their extension agreed upon between Engie and the Belgian government.
Cairo is stepping up connection works for the planned 4,800 MW El-Dabaa nuclear plant, developed with Rosatom, to feed the grid from 2026 with output equal to about seven % of national electricity.
EDF extends Flamanville EPR's shutdown to August 13 to conduct technical checks on three valves of the reactor's primary circuit, initially scheduled to resume production this week.
The US Department of Energy has selected Westinghouse and Radiant Nuclear to conduct the first nuclear microreactor tests at the DOME experimental centre located in Idaho, with operational start expected in spring 2026.
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Fortum announce partnership aimed at preparing for the potential deployment of small modular reactors in Finland and Sweden, with commissioning scheduled for the 2030s.
Energy Fuels Inc. announced record production of 638,700 pounds of uranium during the second quarter of 2025 at its Pinyon Plain mine in Arizona, significantly surpassing initial site performance forecasts.
Argentina and Peru have signed an agreement expanding their scientific and technological cooperation in the civil nuclear field, including joint research projects and specialised training programmes for future development.
After several decades without funding nuclear projects, the World Bank has formed a strategic partnership with the IAEA to provide technical and financial support to countries integrating nuclear energy into their energy strategies.
South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission officially validates the decommissioning of reactor number one at the Kori plant, initiating an unprecedented project for the national industry scheduled to last until 2037.
Uranium producer enCore Energy surpasses three thousand pounds per day at its Alta Mesa ISR complex and sees three new Texas laws as a strong signal for faster nuclear production permits.
The International Atomic Energy Agency expresses concerns over Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles following the abrupt suspension of inspections at key sites disrupted by recent attacks whose consequences remain uncertain.
NPCIL has announced an extension until September 30 for industrial proposals concerning Bharat Small Reactors (BSR), following increased interest from the Indian private sector.
A regional court has upheld the award of two new reactors in the Czech Republic to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, dismissing Électricité de France’s challenge to the €16bn contract in a decisive step for the national energy programme.
Facing rising temperatures, EDF anticipates cuts in nuclear production starting early July, primarily due to thermal constraints on rivers used for cooling the power plants.
The preliminary agreement launches planning and site assessment for a tailored AP1000 reactor, following two years of feasibility study, and enlists Westinghouse and Hyundai to support Fortum’s regional nuclear expansion.
Donald Trump's unprecedented decision to dismiss Christopher Hanson, a member of the NRC, provokes outrage among former federal officials and raises concerns over the regulatory independence of the U.S. nuclear sector.
Uranium Energy Corp strengthens its position in Anfield Energy Inc., now holding approximately 32.4% of the company’s shares following an investment of CAD19.55mn ($14.82mn), significantly expanding its strategic influence in the uranium market.
New York State plans an advanced nuclear power plant with a 1-gigawatt capacity to meet long-term energy and economic goals, involving significant investment to enhance regional energy independence.
Niger announces its intention to nationalize SOMAÏR, a mining company jointly owned with Orano, provoking strong opposition from the French company and paving the way for further international legal tensions.