Trump Administration Advances Expedited Nuclear Reactor Licensing and Campus Plan

A coalition of nuclear‑safety groups warned that a Trump administration rule would let developers using federally approved reactor designs skip required safety reviews, calling the move “ill‑advised and contrary to law.” Linda Pentz Gunter of Beyond Nuclear said, “In its eagerness to short‑circuit reactor safeguards, the Trump administration is once again doing what it does best—demonstrating a complete disregard for the law.”

Separately, the Energy Department announced a “nuclear campus” initiative that would co‑locate advanced reactors, fuel‑fabrication, reprocessing and deep‑geologic waste disposal sites. States are invited to compete for these campuses as engines of economic development, with projected tens of thousands of jobs. Critics note the plan bundles the contentious waste‑siting problem with new reactor projects, risking rushed timelines, uncertain funding, and community opposition that have stalled past efforts such as Yucca Mountain and other storage projects.