Nuclear startups have raised a lot of money in recent months, with well over $1 billion raised to date.
Data centers and their thirst for power are one of the drivers. But recent changes to federal nuclear safety policy could provide another catalyst to clear the path to rapid reactor development, with potential costs to human and environmental health.
NPR reports that the Trump administration has quietly changed the way the Department of Energy oversees the safety and security of nuclear power plants built on its sites. Approximately one-third of the rulebook has been obsolete and several sections have been significantly revised. Previous requirements aimed at limiting groundwater and environmental contamination are now proposals, potentially exposing workers to higher doses of radiation. Plant security protocols are currently largely up to companies.
According to NPR, the new rules were developed without public comment or notice. These apply only to reactors built on DOE property. Those built elsewhere are still subject to Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversight. Several startups are developing demonstration reactors on the Department of Energy’s campus in hopes of meeting the Trump administration’s July 4, 2026 deadline.
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