Latest news with #ReinvigoratingtheNuclearIndustrialBase
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump aims for 400 GW of nuclear by 2050, 10 large reactors under construction by 2030
This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter. The White House wants to deploy 300 GW of net new nuclear capacity by 2050 and have 10 large reactors under construction in the U.S. by 2030 while expanding domestic nuclear fuel supplies, according to an executive order President Trump signed Friday. Trump signed three other orders on Friday to accelerate Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviews of reactor license applications and reconsider strict NRC radiation limits; expand departments of Energy and Defense roles in nuclear power plant licensing and siting; and speed up deployment of new test reactors. Nuclear power advocates hailed the orders as a boon for the industry, but warned that staff cuts at NRC and DOE could slow progress. A representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists said the proposed reforms would make the public less safe. Shares of publicly-traded advanced nuclear and reactor fuel companies soared on Friday, suggesting investors see Trump's orders as more than just words on paper. Oklo, the advanced reactor developer previously chaired by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, was up more than 20% since Friday afternoon. Oklo's shares got another boost Tuesday morning as it announced a design and development partnership with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to accelerate deployment of its Aurora powerhouses. Shares of small modular reactor developer NuScale and uranium suppliers Centrus Energy and Uranium Energy also rose more than 20% in Friday and early Tuesday trading. Trump's 'Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base' executive order called on Wright and other cabinet secretaries to develop a national policy for spent nuclear fuel management. The order singles out recycling and reprocessing activities that could benefit companies like Oklo, which plans to build fuel reprocessing capabilities and is developing reactors that can run on recycled fuel. Another order, 'President Donald J. Trump Deploys Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security,' calls on Wright 'to release at least 20 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium into a readily available fuel bank for private sector projects operating nuclear reactors to power AI infrastructure at DOE sites.' Congress last year banned Russian uranium imports from 2028, cutting off a key supply of HALEU in particular and adding urgency to ongoing federal efforts to expand domestic supplies. 'Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base' also calls for the DOE Loan Programs Office to prioritize support for construction of new large reactors and 5 GW of power uprates to existing reactors by 2030. It specifically mentions support for 'completing construction of nuclear reactors that was prematurely suspended,' signaling possible LPO support for the completion of the two unfinished AP1000 reactors at Santee Cooper's VC Summer site in South Carolina. Recent changes at DOE could undermine that goal, Nuclear Innovation Alliance President and CEO Judi Greenwald said in a statement. 'Recent DOE staffing reductions and proposed budget cuts undermine the Department's efforts and make it harder to implement these executive orders,' Greenwald said. 'We urge the Administration and Congress to adequately resource and staff DOE to meet this moment.' Greenwald said proposed NRC process changes in another executive order, 'President Donald J. Trump Directs Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,' while well-intentioned, could also prove counterproductive. 'NIA has long thought it is important that NRC improve the efficiency of its activities,' she said. 'However …[o]ur assessment is that NRC is already making significant progress on reform in compliance with congressional direction including the 2024 ADVANCE Act. It is in everyone's interest that this progress continue and not be undermined by staffing cuts or upended by conflicting directives.' Greenwald added that the 'effectiveness, efficiency and independence' of the NRC is essential for public confidence in nuclear power and for ongoing efforts to commercialize and export nuclear technology. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, was more blunt in a statement that also criticized the administration's proposal to involve other federal departments in nuclear reactor siting, licensing and fuel supply. 'The U.S. nuclear industry will fail if safety is not made a priority,' Lyman said. 'By fatally compromising the independence and integrity of the NRC, and by encouraging pathways for nuclear deployment that bypass the regulator entirely, the Trump administration is virtually guaranteeing that this country will see a serious accident or other radiological release that will affect the health, safety and livelihoods of millions.' Setting aside potential safety risks, involving the departments of defense and energy could cause needless confusion for nuclear technology developers, said Atomic Canyon CEO Trey Lauderdale. 'New capabilities for the Department of Defense and DOE to license and oversee projects could actually create additional red tape as companies navigate between three new potential oversight bodies instead of one,' Lauderdale said. Recommended Reading Nuclear industry 'facing some headwinds' amid congressional budget fight: NEI CEO
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lightbridge Outlines Opportunities Created by President Trump's Nuclear Executive Orders
RESTON, Va, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lightbridge Corporation ('Lightbridge' or the 'Company') (Nasdaq: LTBR), an advanced nuclear fuel technology company, today announced how President Trump's recent nuclear energy Executive Orders (the 'Executive Orders') create opportunities for the company's advanced fuel technology and business strategy. On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four Executive Orders representing the most significant policy shift toward nuclear energy in decades. These executive orders include provisions that we believe align closely with Lightbridge's technology capabilities and position as an American nuclear fuel technology company. The most relevant provisions for Lightbridge come from the executive order "Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base," which directs the Department of Energy to prioritize work with the nuclear energy industry to facilitate power uprates to existing reactors. To date, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. nuclear power plants have added approximately 8 GWe of additional generating capacity via power uprates, primarily through measurement uncertainty recapture and stretch power uprates. We believe that Lightbridge Fuel™ will be able to provide additional power uprate opportunities to existing nuclear power plants. We believe enabling power uprates of up to 17% in existing reactors is one of Lightbridge Fuel's most value-adding capabilities. We may not meet the executive order's goal of adding five gigawatts of power uprates to existing reactors by 2030. Still, this direct policy support for power uprates aligns with the objectives of Lightbridge. Utilities seeking to implement power uprates will need cost-effective, safety-enhancing solutions. We believe Lightbridge Fuel is well-positioned to meet these requirements. The Executive Orders also create new opportunities in the national security sector. As Lightbridge President and CEO Seth Grae noted in a Friday interview with Barron's following the signing ceremony, "The ability to build reactors on military bases could be a plus. If the federal government is the customer, the process of building a reactor would likely be faster" and "with the military as a customer, they could expedite orders." We believe that Lightbridge Fuel's enhanced safety and performance characteristics make it well-suited for highly reliable power applications, including military installations and critical infrastructure. The Executive Orders frame nuclear energy as essential for "a global race to dominate in artificial intelligence" and "access to uninterruptible power supplies for national security." This positioning could open new market segments beyond traditional utility applications, including dedicated nuclear power supply at or near data center locations. The Executive Orders emphasize "maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of nuclear fuel through recycling, reprocessing, and reinvigorating the commercial sector." We believe provisions supporting plutonium disposition in reactor fuel could present another opportunity for Lightbridge. The Executive Orders establish promising funding opportunities. According to the Executive Orders, the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office will prioritize nuclear power projects. At the same time, federal funding will also be directed toward companies demonstrating the largest degrees of design and technological maturity, financial backing, and potential for near-term deployment. Procurement support, forward contracts, and guarantees are authorized for domestic fuel supply. We believe Lightbridge is well-positioned to seek funding opportunities facilitated by this Executive Order. Together, the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders and strong bipartisan support for nuclear power in Congress present a highly favorable political environment for Lightbridge. We expect that the alignment between the Company's capabilities—particularly Lightbridge Fuel's power uprate potential and enhanced safety features—and the policy directives may create opportunities for accelerated progress. About Lightbridge Corporation Lightbridge Corporation (NASDAQ: LTBR) is focused on developing advanced nuclear fuel technology essential for delivering abundant, zero-emission, clean energy and providing energy security to the world. The Company is developing Lightbridge Fuel™, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for existing light water reactors and pressurized heavy water reactors, significantly enhancing reactor safety, economics, and proliferation resistance. The Company is also developing Lightbridge Fuel for new small modular reactors to bring the same benefits plus load-following with renewables on a zero-carbon electric grid. Lightbridge has entered into two long-term framework agreements with Battelle Energy Alliance LLC, the United States Department of Energy's operating contractor for Idaho National Laboratory, the United States' lead nuclear energy research and development laboratory. DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear program has twice awarded Lightbridge to support the development of Lightbridge Fuel over the past several years. Lightbridge is participating in two university-led studies through the DOE Nuclear Energy University Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas A&M University. An extensive worldwide patent portfolio backs Lightbridge's innovative fuel technology. Lightbridge is included in the Russell Microcap® Index. For more information, please visit To receive Lightbridge Corporation updates via e-mail, subscribe at Lightbridge is on YouTube. Subscribe to access past demonstrations, interviews, and other video content at Lightbridge is on X (formerly Twitter). Sign up to follow @LightbridgeCorp at Forward Looking Statements With the exception of historical matters, the matters discussed herein are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations on the date of this news release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ significantly from such estimates. The risks include, but are not limited to: Lightbridge's ability to commercialize its nuclear fuel technology; the degree of market adoption of Lightbridge's product and service offerings; Lightbridge's ability to fund general corporate overhead and outside research and development costs; market competition; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees; dependence on strategic partners; demand for fuel for nuclear reactors; Lightbridge's ability to manage its business effectively in a rapidly evolving market; the availability of nuclear test reactors and the risks associated with unexpected changes in Lightbridge's fuel development timeline; the increased costs associated with metallization of Lightbridge's nuclear fuel; public perception of nuclear energy generally; changes in the political environment; risks associated with war in Europe; changes in the laws, rules and regulations governing Lightbridge's business; development and utilization of, and challenges to, Lightbridge's intellectual property; risks associated with potential shareholder activism; potential and contingent liabilities; as well as other factors described in Lightbridge's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'). Lightbridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Lightbridge's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and in its other filings with the SEC, including in the sections thereof captioned 'Risk Factors' and 'Forward-Looking Statements,' all of which are available at and Investor Relations Contact: Matthew Abenante, IRC Director of Investor Relations Tel: +1 (347) 947-2093 ir@ Sign in to access your portfolio
