President Donald Trump on May 23 signed four executive orders aimed at kindling an “American nuclear renaissance” by cutting regulations in the industry and fast-tracking new licenses for reactors and power plants.
The executive orders are related to accelerating commercial nuclear energy development, with the industry on the cusp of numerous breakthroughs, such as the Tennessee Valley Authority’s May 20 announcement that it had submitted a permit to install the nation’s first small modular nuclear reactor, or SMR.
The orders require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete license reviews within 18 months, provide federal land for reactor development, and streamline regulations and permitting processes....
