Trump Department of Energy supercharges U.S. nuclear supply chain

by Summer Lane

Photo: Alamy

The U.S. Department of Energy will issue up to $17.5 billion in American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans, financing five projects to supercharge the deployment of 10 commercial nuclear reactors in the United States, the agency announced.

According to a press release from the DOE, this latest infusion builds on President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base,” signed in May 2025.

“To accomplish that mission, these conditional loans will play an important role in reviving the supply chain needed for America to once again build large-scale commercial reactors,” said Secretary Wright in a statement.

He added, “They will also help accelerate the timeline of building those large-scale reactors by up to three years, lowering construction costs and ensuring the United States is able to deliver on President Trump’s bold and ambitious energy addition agenda.”

The DOE aims to have 10 large nuclear reactors under construction by 2030. The agency described this push as a “nuclear renaissance on the eve of our nation’s 250th anniversary.”

Nuclear energy development has been a priority for the Trump administration during this second term in the White House. On Wednesday, the DOE announced that a nuclear reactor just completed a criticality demonstration at the Idaho National Laboratory, marking the third DOE-authorized advanced reactor to go critical before the July 4th holiday – the deadline set by President Trump’s executive order on this advancement.

Criticality is a term used to describe when a nuclear reactor achieves a stable atomic chain reaction.

“America’s nuclear renaissance is underway because of President Trump’s bold vision and ambitious goals,” Wright said in a statement regarding the accomplishment.

He said that America “remains the world’s nuclear innovation leader” and said these technological advancements will help propel the country to new heights of industry and better security.

You may also like