Trump administration cuts nuclear energy funding amidst ambitious deployment goals

The Trump administration has outlined a nuclear strategy aimed at reducing regulations and facilitating deployment through proposed executive orders. These orders, however, have created confusion as they conflict with signals regarding financing and regulatory frameworks. The proposed legislation, including the International Nuclear Energy Act, aims to boost nuclear energy exports and harmonize global regulations in response to international competition, especially from Russia and China, which dominate the market for nuclear reactors. Amid these discussions, the administration has announced significant budget cuts to the Department of Energy, which raises questions about its ability to achieve its nuclear energy goals. With no nuclear reactors currently under development in the United States, the future of the domestic nuclear energy sector remains uncertain as industry insiders anticipate further challenges due to funding cuts and regulatory shifts. While small reactors are seen as a potential solution for the energy needs of artificial intelligence data centers, the current financial and regulatory landscape may hinder their deployment by discouraging private investment.