Government's Strategy for Utilizing Nuclear Power for Data Centers and National Security Purposes
The Trump Administration unveiled a comprehensive strategy in 2025 to modernize and expand the nation's nuclear arsenal, with a focus on deploying advanced nuclear technologies at military installations and federally owned sites. This strategy aims to reclaim American leadership in global nuclear innovation and exports, countering the rising dominance of Russian and Chinese nuclear exports.
Key components of the strategy include modernizing and expanding the nuclear arsenal with tailored, sophisticated systems to deter adversaries such as China and Russia. The administration also plans to launch a pilot program for advanced nuclear reactor construction and operation outside National Laboratories, with the aim of expediting the deployment of new nuclear technologies.
Regulatory reform is another crucial part of the strategy. The Department of Energy’s environmental reviews and permitting requirements will be streamlined to reduce bureaucratic delays for reactor authorizations, leases, and approvals. The government will also release significant reserves of high-assay low-enriched uranium to support initial reactor operations and enhance domestic uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication capabilities.
To address logistical constraints related to nuclear fuel management, the strategy proposes temporary on-site storage of spent fuel at existing nuclear sites while pursuing permanent national repository solutions elsewhere. The administration is also imposing stringent deadlines and capped fees for Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviews to facilitate nuclear technology deployment.
To combat public skepticism and enhance scientific integrity, the strategy orders agencies to implement “Gold Standard Science” principles, ensuring transparency, reproducibility, and unbiased peer review in scientific activities related to nuclear technology development.
Nine military installations, including Army, Air Force, Space Force, and Navy bases, have been identified as immediate candidates for nuclear technology deployment. A new special presidential envoy is dedicated to nuclear energy exports to aggressively pursue international agreements.
The strategy does not mention any specific financial incentives or subsidies for domestic uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication capabilities, nor does it discuss any potential impacts on existing nuclear energy export agreements or partnerships. The strategy does not mention any specific new locations for nuclear technology deployment beyond the previously identified nine military installations.
The Defense Department and Energy Department have been instructed to address logistical and regulatory barriers to expedite installation and operational readiness. Revisions to radiation safety models, licensing procedures, and environmental assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act are intended to align nuclear regulation with practical, scientifically validated risk assessments.
In summary, the Trump Administration's strategy for deploying advanced nuclear technologies at military installations and federally owned sites focuses on modernizing and expanding the nuclear arsenal and accelerating advanced nuclear reactor deployment through pilot programs and regulatory reform. This multifaceted approach combines administrative action, policy prioritization, infrastructure investment, regulatory streamlining, and efforts to bolster public confidence to facilitate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies in military and federal contexts.
- The administration plans to collaborate with the industry to construct and operate advanced nuclear reactors, aiming to bring new nuclear technologies to market more quickly, particularly in the sectors of finance, technology, and energy.
- To support the deployment of new nuclear technologies, the Department of Energy will release high-assay low-enriched uranium reserves to bolster domestic uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication capabilities, thereby fostering growth in the energy sector and enhancing the nation's financial independence.
