In a new report, the Working Group on Nuclear Energy Dominance outlines a roadmap for restoring American leadership in nuclear energy.
A defining element of the Trump administration’s policy agenda has been that of energy dominance. To achieve that dominance, the administration has set its sights on increasing the production of fossil fuels, primarily through a flurry of executive orders. Meanwhile, incentives for the renewable energy industry have been repealed, with Trump arguing that technologies such as solar and wind power are too expensive and unreliable.
The United States is now at an important crossroads in nuclear energy. After decades of abandoned projects, cost overruns, and slow growth, the nuclear energy sector is once again attracting bipartisan interest and presidential support. But can Washington move quickly and decisively enough to truly support the sector and catch up with global competitors? A new report, How America Can Achieve Nuclear Energy Dominance, produced by the Working Group on Nuclear Energy Dominance, outlines the practical steps the United States must take to restore leadership in one of the world’s most strategic industries. Energy Innovation Reform Project (EIRP) and the Center for the National Interest convened the bipartisan Working Group, chaired by Todd Abrajano, President of the US Nuclear Industry Council. The group includes highly experienced stakeholders and experts from the policy community and the nuclear industry.
A Turning Point for Nuclear Energy
The release of the report comes at a pivotal moment. President Donald Trump earlier this year released four executive orders on boosting the industry, the world is more focused on energy security due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Russia and China have been building commanding positions in global exports and fuel supply chains, while the United States remains hampered by policy gridlock, regulatory delays, and a lack of coordinated financing. President Trump has made nuclear energy central to his national and economic security agenda, setting a target of 400 gigawatts of domestic nuclear capacity by 2050. The report underscores that meeting this ambitious goal—and regaining global leadership—will require sustained presidential focus and a whole-of-government approach.
Nuclear Energy is a Strategic Asset
The report emphasizes a clear truth: nuclear energy is about far more than electricity. A robust nuclear sector underpins US national security by supporting the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program and sustaining the expertise needed to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent. At the same time, nuclear power is a cornerstone of economic resilience, offering reliable, carbon-free baseload energy at a moment when demand is surging from data centers and artificial intelligence (AI). Big tech, driving the development of AI and competition with China, has recognized nuclear energy as a means to meet this demand.
Globally, nuclear exports have long-term geopolitical consequences. As the report notes, a single nuclear power plant creates a strategic relationship lasting 60 to 80 years. Countries that rely on Russian or Chinese nuclear technology will be tethered to Moscow and Beijing for decades. Reversing this trend requires the United States to demonstrate sustained success at home and project competitiveness abroad.
Findings: Why the United States is Falling Behind
The report identifies several weaknesses in America’s nuclear industry:
- The United States is known worldwide for its innovation, but it is competing with state-owned companies in Russia and China, which are able to offer finance packages that cover fuel supply, workforce training, and construction. America’s private sector cannot meet President Trump’s goals alone.
- The nuclear industry is highly regulated, with complex licenses and permits, and deals with sensitive technologies. Streamlining this complexity is a necessary step, but deregulation cannot impede investor and public confidence. America’s nuclear regulatory system has long been considered the gold standard and must continue to be.
- The development of advanced reactors has been hampered by the lack of a strong nuclear fuel supply chain and reliance on geopolitical adversaries. Former President Joe Biden took the first steps toward reducing reliance on Russian uranium by passing the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, but the United States needs to build up a reliable domestic capacity. Additionally, while public opinion of nuclear energy has improved, the promise of a long-term repository has still not been met.
- The nuclear industry is cost-sensitive, and its supply chains require components from all around the world. Tariffs will only increase the costs of building new nuclear power plants, a detriment to an industry that already experiences significant cost overruns. Increased costs also hurt the industry’s ability to compete abroad.
Recommendations: A Roadmap for Leadership
While the report diagnoses the problems confronting America’s nuclear industry, it also lays out extensive recommendations that emphasize nuclear energy as a strategic priority and would give US companies the tools required to compete.
- The report emphasizes a “whole-of-government approach,” led by a National Energy Dominance Council that has the necessary nuclear expertise. The council should hold an annual Nuclear Energy Dominance Summit that brings together the relevant US government departments and industry leaders to ensure a high level of coordination.
- The industry requires federal incentives that accelerate construction and development. Some of the recommendations include immediate tax credits, risk insurance for first-of-a-kind projects, expanded funding for demonstration programs, and international cost-sharing of testing facilities.
- In line with President Trump’s nuclear executive orders, the US State Department should outline an agenda for new nuclear cooperation agreements, including non-OECD economies. The recommendation also calls for increased Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) coordination with foreign regulators, coordinated export policies, the scaling of financing through the Export-Import Bank and International Development Finance Corporation, and proposing a nuclear-focused trust fund to the World Bank.
- The United States must focus on developing a supply chain that covers uranium mining, conversion, and enrichment to provide the necessary fuel to power new reactors and promote the commercialization of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), essential for many advanced reactor designs. Additionally, the report calls for the support of recycling nuclear fuel and the resumption of a congressionally authorized repository program to address long-term storage concerns.
- To encourage foreign investment in US nuclear manufacturing, the National Energy Dominance Council should review supply chains and align tariffs with domestic manufacturing capacity.
- To create long-term efficiency, updating the NRC’s processes, such as adopting a performance-based licensing framework, expediting approvals for small design changes, reviewing only new applications, and creating a general reactor license, is central.
- Finally, the report recommends taking action to expand the nuclear workforce. This would include appropriately staffed government departments and national laboratories, supporting post-secondary training and technical education, and training students from partner countries as a way to build long-term alliances.
Why Nuclear Dominance Matters
How America Can Achieve Nuclear Energy Dominance makes clear that nuclear energy is both a foreign policy tool and a way to boost energy dominance. Without comprehensive federal support and action, Russia and China will continue dominating global nuclear markets, exporting their technologies, and setting industry standards. For the United States, the goal should be not just to catch up but to compete. Otherwise, the United States risks ceding the field, weakening American leadership on nonproliferation, climate goals, energy security, and hurting American economic and AI competitiveness. Now is the moment to convert the current momentum in the nuclear industry into lasting dominance.
About the Author: Emily Day
Emily Day is an experienced researcher, writer, and editor with expertise in geopolitics, nuclear energy, and global security. She is an Associate Editor of Energy World and Techland at The National Interest and a Research Associate at Longview Global Advisors, where she provides insights on global political and economic trends with a specialization in utilities, risk, sustainability, and technology. She was previously a Della Ratta Energy and Global Security Fellow at the Partnership for Global Security.
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