Opportunities for nuclear deployment are available, but the extent of the industry’s expansion remains to be seen, nuclear insiders said during a Columbia University webinar.
Former deputy secretary of Joe Biden’s Department of Energy (DOE) Dave Turk led a webinar on Tuesday on the Donald Trump administration’s May 23 nuclear industry-based executive orders.
Turk was joined by Ashley Finan, chief science officer for the National and Homeland Security Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory and Matt Bowen, former associate deputy assistant secretary in the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy during the Barack Obama administration.
Growing energy demand from data centers and artificial intelligence has given developers an opportunity to deploy innovative nuclear technology, Finan said.
While the opportunity is promising, effective implementation is needed to bring certainty to nuclear energy’s future, said both Bowen and Finan.
Funding and workforce are vital to deploying new nuclear technology, the panelists said. The DOE Loan Programs Office will be important in helping overcome the high costs associated with first-of-a-kind technology, the panelists said.
In the Trump administration’s fiscal 2026 budget request, DOE would reduce its Office of Nuclear Energy’s budget by around 20%. Despite the administration’s interest in nuclear, Finan said she was not surprised by the budget reduction to the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy
Finan acknowledged its proposed nuclear cut was smaller than other offices in the department, saying the administration’s interest in nuclear was still palpable.
With the United States trying to revitalize its nuclear industry, Finan said she hopes the industry focuses on serialization of nuclear technology, instead of continuously developing numerous first-of-a-kind technology.
As the panelists discussed the other recent executive actions, Bowen took issue with the order that would overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.The NRC needs to remain independent in order to ensure safety, Bowen said.
Bowen added he has heard other NRC and former DOE staff members voice concerns pertaining executive overreach at NRC.
In the order, the Trump administration accuses the NRC of stifling nuclear deployment over the years. However, Bowen claimed due to a steady energy demand in the United States and other factors such as nuclear disasters and mismanagement, less nuclear applications were filed to the NRC during that time frame.
