Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The nuclear industry was a big winner in 2024 — but its gains going forward aren't totally assured.
Why it matters: Nuclear's bipartisan support may run into bureaucratic inertia and disagreements over agency funding and programs.
What we're watching: Sen. James Risch plans to reintroduce legislation to financially backstop risky nuclear projects — a long-sought goal for an industry that has repeatedly faced cost overruns in pursuing first-of-a-kind reactors.
- Trump's DOE could also speed up nuclear fuel programs that have been slow to roll out under President Biden.
- Biden DOE officials "have not moved fast enough on this," X-energy CEO Clay Sell, who's developing a DOE-backed advanced reactor demonstration project, told Axios. "I think everybody knows that."
At the same time, Republicans may make changes to DOE programs that support nuclear.
- The Loan Programs Office, which is backing the restart of Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, and the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations are both in the crosshairs.
Between the lines: The industry will largely rely on independent agencies like FERC and NRC to lower barriers.
- FERC rejected a proposal to allow a Pennsylvania nuclear plant to supply a co-located Amazon data center with more power, sending nuclear stocks plummeting.
- The NRC is implementing the ADVANCE Act, a major nuclear victory last year, over the next two years.
