The Trump administration has set a goal to expand America’s nuclear energy capacity from 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2050, a quadrupling that would require building hundreds of new reactors over the next 25 years.
The ambitious target was detailed in four executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on May 23, focused on promoting economic and national security through expanded nuclear energy development. The initiative is one of the most significant nuclear expansion efforts since the technology’s initial widespread deployment.
The executive orders direct federal agencies to accelerate regulatory processes, establish advanced reactors on military installations and Energy Department facilities, and strengthen domestic nuclear fuel production. One directive requires a reactor to begin operations at a US military base no later than September 30, 2028.
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Reaching the 400-gigawatt target would require constructing an estimated 300-400 new reactors over the coming decades, depending on reactor size and technology. The administration has established interim goals of completing 10 new large reactors by 2030 and adding 5 gigawatts through power upgrades at existing facilities.
The orders prioritize nuclear fuel independence, requiring the Energy Secretary to develop plans for expanding domestic uranium conversion and enrichment within 120 days. Russian sources currently supply more than 20 percent of enriched uranium imports for US nuclear fuel.
Nuclear energy currently provides approximately 20 percent of America’s electricity. The proposed expansion would make nuclear power the nation’s dominant electricity source.
The plan faces substantial implementation challenges. The nuclear industry has experienced lengthy construction timelines and cost issues in recent decades, and building 300-400 new reactors represents an unprecedented peacetime construction effort.
Meanwhile, the administration has reduced Energy Department staffing, eliminating an estimated 1,200 to 2,000 positions in February. The cuts affected workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration and the loans office that finances clean energy and nuclear projects. Days later, the department sought to rehire the fired staff from the NNSA.
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