US Unveils Plan to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 as Demand Grows

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(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden’s administration is setting out plans for the US to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050, with demand climbing for the technology as a round-the-clock source of carbon-free power. 

Under a road map being unveiled Tuesday, the US would deploy an additional 200 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by mid-century through the construction of new reactors, plant restarts and upgrades to existing facilities. In the short term, the White House aims to have 35 gigawatts of new capacity operating in just over a decade.

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“Over the past four years, the United States has developed the industrial power and muscle memory throughout the economy to implement this plan,” said Ali Zaidi, the White House’s national adviser.

The Biden administration is addressing issues that have hampered nuclear development including a shortage of skilled workers, domestic fuel supply and regulatory infrastructure, he said. “We have removed many obstacles that have stopped us from growing this carbon-free energy source,” Zaidi said in an interview.

The strategy is one that could gain continued support under President-elect Donald Trump, who called for new nuclear reactors on the campaign trail as a way to help provide electricity to power-hungry data centers and factories.

The nuclear industry — and its renaissance — also enjoys bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, culminating in July’s passage of legislation that gives the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission new tools to regulate advanced reactors, license new fuels and test production breakthroughs that promise faster and cheaper facilities. .

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Nuclear demand is growing as countries aim to accelerate the addition of renewable energy sources, and due to increased electricity use by energy-intensive industries including data processing for artificial intelligence.

Microsoft Corp. struck a deal in September to get electricity from the revived Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, while Google, Amazon.com Inc. of Alphabet Inc. and billionaire financier Ken Griffin are all among those who have recently expressed a renewed interest in the development of atomic energy.

The US move comes as world leaders gather at the two-week COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan and face pressure to step up their ambitions to cut carbon emissions. At last year’s United Nations summit, the US and nearly two dozen other countries signed a pledge to triple nuclear power by 2050.

As technologies like solar and wind have increased since 2010, nuclear power has remained stable, according to the International Energy Agency. That reflects the impact of the 2011 tsunami and the meltdown of Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant, although many governments are now reviewing their stance on the technology.

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Nuclear power advocates say that by setting a domestic deployment target, the US could provide an incentive for nuclear developers. Just reaching the 2035 goal will require swift action to secure enough orders for more reactor designs, a move that will open up investment in fuel and parts supply chains, the Biden administration’s report said.

The 36-page outline outlines some steps the US should take to rebuild its power and restore the country’s eroded status as a nuclear technology developer.

“It is imperative that the US and allied countries compete successfully to provide the world with clean and safe nuclear energy,” the document said. Other nations also “often want new reactor technology to be demonstrated in the supplier country” first, he said.

The main recommendations include measures aimed at speeding up the licensing of federal technology for large reactors and ensuring long-term transparency of tax support. The plan also calls for exploring opportunities to add new reactors to existing plants, and consider deploying micro reactors to Department of Defense facilities.

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