Washington, DC – Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – ClearPath Action released a brief summary of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders (EO) directing federal agencies to take action to deploy new nuclear energy. Following the press conference last week, ClearPath Action released a statement celebrating the EOs and maintaining key tax incentives as well as the financial tools at the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office to achieve the Administration’s energy dominance agenda.

The four executive orders include:

Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

• Sets the goal of quadrupling nuclear power production in the U.S. to 400 GW by 2050.
• Aims to reform the NRC's culture and structure by–
  • Considering economic benefits and national security in addition to safety;
  • Undertaking a wholesale revision of regulations and guidance within nine months;
  • Modernizing its regulations to accelerate safety and environmental reviews; and
  • Reorganizing the NRC “to promote expedited processing of license applications,” including setting license review deadlines of 18 months for new reactors and 12 months for license extensions.

Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security

• • Deploys nuclear reactors for national security by–
    • Ordering the Secretary of the Army to commence the operation of a nuclear reactor at a domestic military site by September 30, 2028; and
    • Designating AI data centers, operated in coordination with the DOE and their electrical infrastructure as critical defense facilities and setting a goal to power at least one of these sites by November 2027.
  • Supports the private nuclear industry by–
    • Releasing at least 20 metric tons of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) into a readily available fuel bank for projects powering AI infrastructure at DOE facilities;
    • Enabling the construction of privately-funded fuel recycling, reprocessing and fabrication at Federal sites;
    • Directing the use of categorical exclusions under NEPA for advanced nuclear reactor technologies at Federal sites; and
    • Prioritizing “L” and “Q” level security clearances at the DOE and the Department of Defense (DOD), amongst others.
  • Promotes American nuclear exports by–
    • Directing the Secretary of State to pursue at least 20 new 123 Agreements by January 2029 and renegotiate any expiring agreements;
    • Directing the creation of strategies to increase financing, promote nuclear trade and make financing and technical support available for U.S. nuclear exports through agencies like the U.S. International Development Finance Cooperation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency and Export-Import Bank of the U.S.; and
    • Setting a 30-day deadline for the Secretary of Energy to approve or deny any complete technology transfer export authorization request.

Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base

• • Takes steps toward nuclear fuel security by–
    • Tasking a multi-agency report to recommend a policy path forward on spent nuclear fuel management, commercial fuel recycling and the use of nuclear materials;
    • Directing the Secretary of Energy to create a program to dispose of surplus plutonium by making it available for use in advanced reactors; and
    • Developing a plan to expand domestic uranium enrichment and conversion capacity.
  • Leverages Federal financial resources and DOE loans and loan guarantees to–
    • Complete construction of prematurely suspended plants;
    • Facilitate 5GWs of uprates on existing reactors by 2030;
    • Begin construction on 10 new large reactors by 2030;
    • Restart closed nuclear power plants; and
    • Deploy advanced reactors.
  • Expands workforce and trade programs, including expanding the use of National Lab infrastructure to nuclear engineering students.

Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy

• • Streamlines the construction of nuclear test and research reactors by–
    
    • Directing DOE to review, approve and deploy test reactors on national lab land within two years of application;
    • Creating a pilot program to build three reactors outside of the national laboratories, with the goal of achieving criticality by July 4th, 2026; and
    • Ordering DOE to expedite its environmental reviews by revising guidance for compliance with NEPA and creating categorical exclusions.

Media Contact:
Emily Johnson
emily@clearpathaction.org
(678) 761-1864

ABOUT CLEARPATH ACTION
ClearPath Action 501(c)(4) advocates for more clean energy innovation, modernized permitting and regulatory reform, America’s global competitiveness for manufacturing, and unlocking more American resources — solutions drawn from our friends at ClearPath. Learn more at clearpathaction.org. Follow us on X: @ClearPathAction, @jharrell