The Trump administration is reportedly considering several draft executive orders aimed at accelerating the construction of nuclear power plants to address increasing electricity demands. According to documents reviewed by The New York Times, these drafts highlight that the U.S. has lagged behind China in expanding nuclear capabilities. They propose a significant overhaul of federal safety regulations to facilitate easier construction of new plants. Additionally, the drafts suggest the Department of Defense could play a key role by ordering reactors and installing them on military bases. One draft titled “Ushering In a Nuclear Renaissance” notes that 87% of nuclear reactors installed globally since 2017 are based on Russian and Chinese designs. The orders aim to quadruple the U.S. nuclear fleet from nearly 100 gigawatts today to 400 gigawatts by 2050. These drafts are marked as pre-decisional and deliberative, with uncertainty surrounding which, if any, will be issued. — new from The New York Times
