Energy Chief: Trump’s Friday Nuclear Power Orders Will Transform Energy Landscape

Four major executive orders on nuclear power are set to be signed by President Trump this Friday afternoon, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The signing ceremony on May 23, 2025, will include representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, the nation’s largest reactor capacity utility.

While the final text remains under review, the orders aim to transform America’s nuclear energy environment. The executive orders will speed up the approval process for new reactors and strengthen nuclear fuel supply chains. Trump’s administration wants to give itself more power to approve reactors while reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These changes could reverse years of slow nuclear development in the United States.

Trump’s executive orders aim to transform America’s nuclear landscape by slashing regulatory barriers and accelerating reactor approvals.

Wall Street reacted swiftly to the announcement. Nuclear power stocks jumped Friday morning, with companies like Constellation Energy and Oklo seeing big gains. Wedbush analysts raised their price target for Oklo from $45 to $55, calling it a major beneficiary of the administration’s nuclear push. The positive market sentiment reflects investor confidence that regulatory changes will accelerate nuclear sector growth.

The orders are part of Trump’s broader “energy dominance” strategy. His administration views affordable domestic energy as essential to national security. They’re committed to “unleashing American energy” by removing barriers to domestic resources.

While the U.S. currently has the world’s largest nuclear capacity, China’s nuclear industry is growing faster. Technology companies developing artificial intelligence are driving new demand for nuclear power. AI data centers need massive amounts of electricity, and they need it reliably. Nuclear plants can provide that power without the interruptions that come from wind and solar. AI computing power is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade, requiring even more energy. The initiative aligns with tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon who have made significant investments in nuclear energy to power their expanding data centers.

Nuclear power produces almost no carbon emissions during operation. It provides steady electricity, unlike renewable sources that depend on weather conditions. The regulatory changes are expected to attract investment in the nuclear sector, providing capital for new reactor projects and technology development. However, the U.S. still lacks a permanent storage site for radioactive waste.

The administration believes these executive orders will help America maintain its leadership in nuclear energy. By cutting through regulatory red tape, Trump hopes to jumpstart an industry that’s been stuck in neutral for years. The orders represent a major shift in U.S. energy policy.