The Trump administration made an announcement revealing that they have allocated a total of $17.5 billion to accelerate the construction of ten new nuclear reactors. These reactors will be built to meet due the rising electricity demand. Construction of the reactors could commence by 2030, with commissioning expected in the middle of the next decade.

Moreover, in Washington, the decision is explained by a sharp increase in electricity demand from data centers. Also, the development of artificial intelligence technologies has necessitated the need to develop the nuclear reactors.

Additionally, the Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said that interest in the nuclear project is already being shown by both energy companies and large data center operators. According to him, construction of the reactors could start before 2030, and commissioning is expected in the middle of the next decade.

Technology

All ten new reactors are planned to be constructed using Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology. These are the same type of power units that were built at the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia. Also, they were the first large nuclear reactors constructed in the US in recent decades.

Furthermore, the Department of Energy reported that seven energy and utility companies have already signed letters of intent to participate in the program. It is planned to select five sites, each of which will house two reactors. Also, the federal funds will be used primarily for the procurement of key components with long production lead times.

Lastly, President Trump previously set a goal to quadruple nuclear energy production in the US over the next 25 years. However, at the same time, critics of the program emphasize that new nuclear power plants remain expensive projects, and a number of US states still have restrictions or bans on the construction of new nuclear facilities.

Factsheet for the Ten USA Nuclear Reactors

Total Federal Allocation: $17.5 billion in low-interest conditional loans (Debt financing)

Private Equity Contribution: Up to $5 billion collectively from utilities and Westinghouse

Reactor Technology: Westinghouse AP1000 (Gigawatt-scale, standardized design)

Total Generation Capacity: Over 11 Gigawatts (GW) of clean power (Enough for 10 million homes)

Project Structure: 5 sites total, hosting 2 reactors each

Target Participants: 7 utility and energy companies have signed formal Letters of Intent (LOIs)

Construction Start Target: By 2030

Operational Target: Mid-2030s (Expected around 2035)