The Role of Nuclear Energy in the US

Accounting for 250,000 direct and indirect jobs across 28 states, nuclear energy is a pillar of the US electricity generation capacity. Nuclear energy is a low-emissions energy source and produces nearly a fifth of the nation’s electricity via 94 reactors, making it the country’s second largest single source of energy after natural gas. Even though it offers the country a degree of energy independence, it still relies on uranium imports, with three-quarters of the material coming from Canada (36%), Kazakhstan (24%), and Australia (17%).

Nuclear energy has attracted considerable bipartisan federal support in the US over the past decade. Yet, there have been only three plants constructed since 2000; each at a pre-existing site. They were Watts Bar Unit 2 in Tennessee in 2016 and Vogtle Units 3 and 4 that were completed in 2023/2024 in Georgia.

The Trump Administration’s Support for Nuclear Energy

Standing at the nexus of clean energy and energy independence, nuclear energy has seen bipartisan support in recent years. On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four executive orders regarding nuclear energy, namely 1) on Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy, 2) Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security, 3) Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and 4) Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base. The four executive orders discuss boosting energy exports, streamlining regulation, expanding plants, boosting uranium conversion enrichment, strengthening fuel reprocessing, and building out workforce training. Moreover, these orders signal the Trump Administration’s interest in bolstering American nuclear power through reforms in the Departments of Energy, Defense, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The Biden Administration’s Support for Nuclear Energy

Support for nuclear energy is not exclusive to the current administration. Under Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act introduced a number of tax credits for existing reactors and new plants and investments into research on high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) supply chain. The acts also provided loan guarantees for Advanced Nuclear energy projects and funding for the Civilian Nuclear Credit Program.

Bipartisan Congressional Support for Nuclear Energy

Congress has passed two additional bipartisan bills supporting nuclear energy: The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) of 2018 and the ADVANCE Act of 2024. The latter was introduced  in the Senate by Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, whilst Representatives Diana DeGette (a Democrat) and Jeff Duncan (a Republican) introduced the Atomic Energy Advancement Act, its sister bill, in the House of Representatives. The bill was ultimately added to the Fire Grants and Safety Act and signed into law on July 9, 2024. The legislation directed the NRC to relax licensing requirements for the conversion of former fossil-fuel sites and limited foreign ownership of nuclear plants. Likewise, NEIMA, which was introduced by Senator John Barrasso, focused on making NRC licensing and fee collection more transparent and predictable.

Vogtle 3 and 4 Expansions

Despite numerous federal interventions seeking to boost nuclear energy investment, interest in the construction of new reactors remains low. In fact, the cost overruns and delays that beset Georgia Power Co. in the Vogtle 3 and 4 expansions may serve as an inhibitor for companies seeking to balance upfront costs with long-term benefits.

In 2009, Georgia Power Co. and Westinghouse Electric were awarded a contract to build two new reactors at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, near Augusta, GA. The two reactors would produce enough energy to power an additional 500,000 Georgia homes and businesses. Originally, the plants were projected to be operational in 2016, at a $14 billion price tag. However, the original timeline and budget quickly fell apart as construction dragged out.

The Short-Term Impact of Vogtle 3 and 4

In 2017, these cost overruns led to Westinghouse Electric declaring bankruptcy. This immediately led to issues for Georgia Power, since Westinghouse had been shouldering most of the cost overruns. It meant that Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power Corp, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), and Dalton Utilities, all regional utility companies, would either have to raise outside funding or increase prices on customers beyond what was initially expected. Disagreements over the division of this led to the latter three companies all filing lawsuits against Georgia Power. The case with MEAG was settled for $76 million, but the other two cases are still ongoing.

In the end, construction mistakes, redesigns, contractor issues, the Westinghouse bankruptcy, and subsequent disagreements over cost sharing led to the project being completed 15 years behind schedule, at $37 billion, more than double the projected cost.

The Long-Term Impact of Vogtle 3 and 4

Ongoing fallout from the construction persists. Some Georgia Power and Oglethorpe customers have already seen higher bills, as the companies attempt to offset their unexpected costs. Residents of Georgia have already reported seeing electricity bills increase drastically over the lifetime of the project, so much so that Georgia’s Public Service Commission intervened to keep base rates stable until 2028 in order to alleviate burdens on consumers. Whilst it is unclear just how much of these rate increases can be attributed specifically to construction costs for Vogtle 3 and 4, at least $11.1 billion in cost overruns and delays have been approved to be passed on to consumers.

Where Does Nuclear Energy Stand Now?

Despite significant bipartisan federal support for nuclear energy, massive upfront costs, lengthy construction timelines, and questions about profitability mean no nuclear power plants are currently being constructed. Similarly, although efforts have been made to power the growth of AI data centers with nuclear energy, in the form of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), none are currently operational.

In discussing the Vogtle construction, former NRC Chair Gregory Jaczko mentions that “Despite massive subsidies and support (…) only one reactor has started almost 15 years later at an exorbitant cost”. Jackzo elaborates that “The problem isn’t the commitment of governments; it is the performance of the industry.” The disastrous cost overruns and delays of Vogtle 3 and 4 have cooled down initial hopes for a more widespread adoption of nuclear energy. And while the rapid growth of data centers has hailed SMRs as a viable energy source, the field remains nascent.