Nuclear sector sees Trump's orders as green light

President Trump's executive orders to speed up nuclear construction and licensing, signed Friday, are yet another signal to the sector that there's a U.S. nuclear renaissance coming.

Why it matters: There's unprecedented electricity demand, but large nuclear projects have historically faced delays and small modular reactors aren't yet commercial.

Catch up quick: The four executive orders would speed construction of advanced reactors at federal sites while telling the Nuclear Regulatory Commission it has 18 months to decide on new reactor licenses.

• The orders emphasize the roles of the Energy and Defense departments to build reactors and demand a "total and complete reform of NRC culture."

Zoom in: The overall message of "get nuclear built and do it fast" will be good for the industry," said Brett Rampal, senior director, nuclear and power strategy, for Veriten.

• Boosting the roles that the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy can play in building reactors on federal sites could be particularly important, said executives.
• Industry group Nuclear Energy Institute said: "We appreciate the Administration's ongoing actions to preserve existing nuclear plants and usher in the deployment of next generation nuclear."

The intrigue: The leaders of advanced nuclear startups were particularly celebratory.

• The orders "are a fundamental reset that will help our nation decisively secure its energy future, enhance its national security, and reclaim its position as the world's leading technological power," said Isaiah Taylor, founder and CEO of nuclear startup Valar Atomics.
• Taylor said Valar Atomics was selected as one of three companies to turn on a test reactor on American soil by July 4, 2026. Valar is partnering with Utah's San Rafael energy test facility to deploy the test reactor.
• Bret Kugelmass, founder and CEO of nuclear startup Last Energy, predicts that "we are now going to see reactors being built in months instead of decades." Kugelmass said nuclear power costs "have the potential to be an order of magnitude lower than today."

• The stocks of nuclear players Oklo and NuScale Power surged on the news.

Yes, but: Force reductions at the NRC, and overall uncertainty around energy policy, could "temper some of the current excitement and delay things," said Rampal.

Follow the money: Investors will likely see the orders as yet another reason to back nuclear development and tech.

• The total funding for advanced nuclear companies grew to $736.9 million in the first three months of 2025, compared to $260.3 million for all of 2024, according to PitchBook. If funding continues at that pace, 2025 could be a record year for American advanced nuclear companies.
• Interest and investment from hyperscalers have been driving much of the nuclear resurgence.

What's next: The Trump administration wants to deploy a new reactor before Trump leaves office in early 2029, a senior White House official told reporters.