Congressional Republican aligned with the nuclear energy industry are eyeing major legislative moves to ensure the energy source is tapped to power the future of artificial intelligence, but winning over Democrats may be more difficult than in previous recent years.
For now, the attention of the two most influential voices on nuclear policy in Congress — House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) — is focused on shepherding a broader energy permitting reform package through Congress.
Nuclear legislation could be close on the horizon, however, especially as permit reform efforts stall amid Democratic frustration with the Trump administration.
“We’re doing permitting reform, so that’s going to be priority number one,” Guthrie said. “On nuclear, we haven’t decided the legislative bid we’re going to do with it, but we absolutely have to have access to nuclear energy so we can compete against China on AI.”
