U.S. DOE launches $17.5 B loan program for ten new nuclear reactors

The Trump administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy, announced a conditional $17.5 billion low‑interest loan package aimed at reviving the domestic nuclear supply chain and accelerating the construction of ten large‑scale AP1000 reactors. The financing will support up to five projects, each comprising two reactors, and is intended to cover long‑lead components such as pressure vessels and steam generators. Officials say the loans could shorten construction timelines by up to three years, lower overall costs, and help meet growing electricity demand from AI‑driven data centers. Seven utilities and energy firms have submitted letters of intent; five projects are expected to be selected, with a goal of having all ten reactors under construction by 2030 and operational in the mid‑2030s. Each reactor will generate about 1.1 GW, enough to power roughly ten million U.S. homes. The initiative is part of President Donald Trump’s broader strategy to quadruple U.S. nuclear capacity within 25 years and to secure reliable, carbon‑free baseload power for the nation’s industrial and digital infrastructure.