The Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled an initiative to triple U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050, aiming to reach its net-zero emissions goal and respond to the rise in U.S. energy demand.
The plan would deploy an additional 200 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2050 through several actions such as building new small and large reactors, expanding existing facilities, and developing the nuclear workforce. The plan also establishes earlier targets, such as deploying 35 GW of new capacity by 2035 and then 15 GW per year by 2040.
“These domestic nuclear energy deployment targets are ambitious yet achievable, and serve as a signal that the U.S. government is committed to facilitating the safe and responsible deployment of nuclear energy and necessary, supporting infrastructure,” the framework reads.
Nuclear power produces 20% of U.S. electricity, according to the White House, but energy demand continues to rise due to the increase in artificial intelligence, data centers, and household energy needs.
The Biden administration has taken several initiatives to promote the nuclear energy sector, such as providing clean energy tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act. Administration officials consider the industry a tool to help achieve its net-zero emissions goal by 2050.
“Over the last four years, the United States has really established the industrial capacity and the muscle memory across the economy to carry out this plan,” White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi told Bloomberg on Tuesday.
The initiative comes as global leaders gather in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference. Some are raising concerns that the U.S. commitments at the two-week summit will no longer be held under the incoming Trump administration.
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In his first term, President-elect Donald Trump took several steps to support the nuclear sector, including enacting the Nuclear Energy Innovation Modernization Act. Trump has also promised to reduce energy costs by approving the buildout of power plants and new reactors.
The industry also gained bipartisan support in Congress, as lawmakers passed the “Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024,” also known as the ADVANCE Act. The bill directs the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ease specific licensing application fees to help boost the construction of more reactors.