Officials from the U.S. departments of Energy and Defense say the agencies are moving forward with expanded roles in authorizing commercial nuclear reactors by drawing on decades of nuclear energy safety reviews — albeit not for civilian power plants.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission historically has held exclusive authority over licensing civilian nuclear reactors, ensuring safety standards set in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Yet, four May executive orders from the Trump administration aim to speed reactor approvals in part by empowering DOE and DOD with greater oversight capabilities for civilian reactors, particularly for advanced reactors.
Last week marked the closing of the initial round of applications for nuclear developers to join a DOE program, initiated following the orders, to build three advanced nuclear reactors by July 4, 2026. Under one of the orders, reactors cleared by the departments will have an expedited NRC review for commercial application.
Critics say the shift defies the intentions of Congress in establishing the NRC and that handing regulatory powers to agencies under direct White House oversight could politicize safety reviews.
