In the United States, the nuclear sector is undergoing a remarkable renaissance, driven by growing bipartisan support and increasing demand for clean, reliable power. That’s why National Clean Energy Week this year hosted a panel of experts to break down what’s to come for the next generation of nuclear. 

David Brown of Constellation Energy noted with enthusiasm that “I think the thing that excites me the most is the growing bipartisan support for nuclear as a climate solution. We have been on quite a streak here in the last few years, on the Hill and elsewhere in the states as well. So just it’s an exciting time to be here and a lot of momentum to capitalize on.”  

And he was right. In recent years, the federal government has proven to be increasingly supportive. Just in 2024, Congress passed the ADVANCE Act, which reduced the fees, paperwork and other barriers to deployment. Marcie Haber of Oklo backed this legislation up by noting, “I think it’s… really important from a value proposition standpoint… if we’re talking about how we need reliable energy, abundant energy, clean energy, this is going to have an advantage for the nation and for the taxpayers.” 

Nick Loris of C3 Solutions concurred and added a comment on what they’re doing to move the needle on license and permitting reform. “…We’ve charged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with licensing and permitting these things and for public health and safety. And those are essentially public goods. I think there’s probably some conservatives who are (wondering) why is the taxpayer footing the bill for this? But this is a public good that actually should be borne by the taxpayer, given the benefits that we are getting from it.” 

Kati Austgen, who heads the New Nuclear program at the Nuclear Energy Institute, remarked that with new innovations, nuclear power is not just a baseload source of power. “New reactor designs are offered in a variety of sizes and a variety of technologies…[you] can add for remote applications or microgrid uses. If you really need heat, not electricity, you can select a reactor design technology that will provide you with that heat, either a medium temperature or a very high temperature. So it’s really an exciting time to think about the future of nuclear.” 

Bradley Williams of the Idaho National Laboratory closed out the discussion by giving voice to some changes that need to be made to the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help the nuclear industry, such as changing the definition of “energy communities” and the amortization of the investment tax credit. 

If fueled by growing bipartisan support, innovative technologies, and proactive policy reforms. the American nuclear energy sector is poised to play a pivotal role in meeting the nation’s expanding clean energy needs.