The U.S. data center industry is calling on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to streamline nuclear licensing, as power-hungry technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing drive surging electricity demand.
In a letter sent Aug. 28 to NRC Chair David Wright and shared exclusively with POLITICO, the Data Center Coalition (DCC) — which represents major data infrastructure operators — urged the agency to update its regulations to ensure quicker deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors and microreactors.
“Increasingly, DCC members are forming strategic partnerships and committing to offtake agreements with utilities and nuclear technology developers, injecting new momentum into this strategic sector,” wrote Cy McNeill, the group’s director of federal affairs. “We are approaching the cusp of a truly revitalized nuclear sector.”
The coalition said the NRC should work in “consultation with the Department of Energy and other agencies” to change regulatory requirements to accelerate reactor deployment. Specifically, the letter encourages simplified environmental assessments, faster licensing for standardized reactors, leveraging AI for site evaluation and allowing advanced reactors to be sited closer to population centers.
