The United States is accelerating the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors through a Department of Energy (DOE) pilot program to meet energy goals. By streamlining regulatory processes and funding reactor prototypes, the federal government aims to develop and deploy the next generation of atomic energy.
How is the U.S. accelerating advanced nuclear deployment?
The U.S. government is reducing the time and cost required to bring new reactor designs to market. In May 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that set an aggressive timeline to get at least three reactors critical, coinciding with the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations on July 4. According to the DOE, these efforts are part of a broader strategy to develop and deploy the next generation of atomic energy.
The DOE’s pilot program provides the primary engine for this transition. The program involves the construction of demonstration reactors to prove that new designs can operate.
Which startups are leading the next-generation nuclear race?
A new wave of startups is challenging the traditional model of large, light-water reactors. These companies are participating in the pilot program to reach criticality—a term used to describe a nuclear reactor sustaining a chain reaction.
- Aalo Atomics: This company is part of the pilot program and has yet to hit criticality, though it expects to do so soon.
- Valar Atomics: Valar Atomics reached criticality late last year onsite at Los Alamos National Laboratory and reached criticality again with a second reactor at a state-funded lab site in Utah earlier this month.
- Antares Nuclear: This startup is in the pilot program and has met the executive order’s July 4 deadline.
- Deployable Energy: This startup is in the pilot program and has met the executive order’s July 4 deadline.
Why are tech figures investing in nuclear?
A growing number of investors and tech figures in Silicon Valley see smaller nuclear reactors, which can provide 24/7 carbon-free energy to power data centers and other operations, as part of a new golden age of technology. The tech world has leaned heavily on the Trump administration to slash regulations and speed up the development of smaller nuclear designs.
Silicon Valley sees smaller nuclear reactors as part of a new golden age of technology. This private capital is supplementing federal efforts, changing the narrative and the perception for the investment community.
What are the remaining hurdles for commercial nuclear power?
Despite regulatory progress, the industry faces challenges. The DOE quietly slashed a number of environmental and safety regulations for reactors operating under that department’s purview in February.
Critics, including Adam Stein, the director of the Nuclear Energy Innovation program at the Breakthrough Institute, note that reaching “criticality”—the point where a reactor sustains a nuclear chain reaction—in a test environment is a significant technical milestone, but it doesn’t guarantee commercial viability. Stein notes that these prototypes “are not commercial products. They’re test reactors.”
Advanced Nuclear vs. Traditional Nuclear
| Feature | Traditional Light-Water Reactors | Advanced Reactor Designs |
|---|---|---|
| Coolant | Water | Innovative designs |
| Construction | Large-scale | Smaller reactors |
The push for a “nuclear renaissance” now depends on whether the U.S. can intentionally move faster. While the pilot is good PR for the industry, there’s still a long way to go before new reactor designs become commercial realities.