The U.S. government is orchestrating an unprecedented push to align nuclear regulation, manufacturing, and deployment across federal agencies to meet surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers. At the 2026 Regulatory Information Conference, officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Defense (DOD) outlined how streamlined collaboration and new executive orders are accelerating small modular reactor (SMR) technology toward commercial reality, while manufacturers are solving critical supply chain challenges that have long delayed deployment.

What Is Driving the Sudden Urgency Around Nuclear Power and AI?

The convergence of three forces is reshaping nuclear policy. First, artificial intelligence and data centers are consuming unprecedented amounts of electricity, creating an urgent need for reliable, emission-free baseload power. Second, the Trump administration has issued executive orders and the ADVANCE Act to streamline nuclear licensing and coordinate federal efforts. Third, the pipeline of new reactor applications is unlike anything the industry has seen in terms of scale and diversity. Mehdi Reisi Fard, deputy director in the Division of Advanced Reactors at the NRC, noted that the number of projects, the diversity of technologies, and the complexity of deployment models are unprecedented.

"The pipeline of reactor applications over the next few years is unlike anything we've seen before in terms of the number of projects, the diversity of technologies, and the complexity of deployment models," said Mehdi Reisi Fard, deputy director in the Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-power Production and Utilization Facilities at the NRC.

Mehdi Reisi Fard, Deputy Director, Division of Advanced Reactors, NRC

At the same conference, Rian Bahran, deputy assistant secretary for nuclear reactors at the DOE, reported that the Reactor and Fuel Line Pilot Programs are on track to achieve criticality (the point at which a nuclear reaction becomes self-sustaining) in at least three reactors by July 4 of this year, fulfilling a presidential directive. This represents a tangible acceleration compared to earlier projections.

How Are Government Agencies Coordinating to Speed Up Reactor Deployment?

The federal government is breaking down traditional silos between agencies through formal collaboration frameworks. The DOE and NRC recently signed a memorandum of understanding, and the NRC issued internal guidance on authorization projects to facilitate fast-tracking of commercial licenses for projects meeting DOE regulatory milestones. The DOD is also actively participating through its Janus Program, which involves five national laboratories assisting with vendor proposals and project selection.

One concrete example of this coordination is the DOE's development of an artificial intelligence tool in collaboration with private industry that will translate DOE licenses into NRC applications, eliminating redundant paperwork and reducing delays. This automation addresses a key bottleneck: standardizing definitions and regulatory approaches across agencies without compromising safety or independent oversight.

• NRC Independence: The NRC maintains its distinct statutory responsibility under the Atomic Energy Act to independently determine whether regulations are being met, ensuring safety is never compromised for speed.
• DOE-NRC Coordination: The memorandum of understanding and new internal guidance allow the DOE to support commercial licensing without duplicating NRC review, leveraging expertise across agencies.
• DOD Participation: The Department of Defense is finalizing memoranda of understanding with the NRC and engaging with vendors to evaluate proposals for military reactor deployments through the Janus Program.

What Manufacturing Breakthroughs Are Enabling SMR Deployment?

Beyond regulatory coordination, the physical supply chain for reactor components is advancing. NuScale Power, which holds the first and only design certification from the NRC for an SMR, recently achieved a critical manufacturing milestone: the fabrication of the first boron-oxide pellets designed for its passive emergency cooling system. These pellets represent a first-of-a-kind component that dissolves into reactor coolant during an emergency to control core reactivity and keep the reactor stable without requiring operator intervention.

"This first-of-a-kind fabrication milestone demonstrates MillenniTEK's ability to support the advanced manufacturing needs of next-generation nuclear technologies," said Steve Getley, MillenniTEK President.

Steve Getley, President, MillenniTEK

The pellets were produced by advanced nuclear materials manufacturer MillenniTEK in collaboration with NuScale. The achievement is significant because it demonstrates that specialized reactor components can be manufactured at the quality and consistency required for commercial nuclear projects. NuScale's 77-megawatt power modules can be combined into larger plants, with the company's current configuration scaling to as much as 924 megawatts across 12 modules.

"NuScale's technology is built on a commitment to safety, simplicity, and deployability, and this milestone reflects the continued progress we are making to prepare our technology and supply chain for commercial deployment in the near-term," said John Hopkins, NuScale President and Chief Executive Officer.

John Hopkins, President and Chief Executive Officer, NuScale Power

Where Will These Reactors Be Deployed First?

Two major U.S. ports have been selected to explore integrating small modular reactors: Corpus Christi, Texas, and Long Beach, California. These ports were chosen because of their strategic importance to U.S. trade and energy security. Long Beach handles approximately 300 billion dollars worth of cargo annually, while Corpus Christi is a major oil and fuel export terminal with fuel exports valued at 80 billion dollars in 2024 alone.

The Maritime Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, is leading this initiative to ensure that critical Gulf Coast maritime supply chains remain resilient against extreme weather and power grid disruptions. The project also aims to train the next generation of high-skilled American mariners in nuclear operations. These port deployments represent a practical test case for SMR technology in industrial and infrastructure applications beyond traditional electricity generation.

How Can Organizations Prepare for the Nuclear-AI Energy Transition?

As nuclear deployment accelerates, stakeholders across industry and government should take concrete steps to position themselves for this shift:

• Regulatory Engagement: Companies developing advanced reactor technologies or planning to use SMRs should engage early with the NRC and DOE through the new authorization pathways to understand timelines, requirements, and collaboration opportunities.
• Supply Chain Development: Manufacturers of specialized nuclear components should invest in advanced manufacturing capabilities and quality assurance systems that meet commercial nuclear standards, as demonstrated by MillenniTEK's work with NuScale.
• Workforce Training: Organizations in ports, data centers, and industrial facilities should begin developing or recruiting personnel trained in nuclear operations and safety, as the Maritime Administration is emphasizing through its port pilot projects.
• Site Planning: Data center operators and industrial facilities with high electricity demands should evaluate whether SMR deployment is feasible at their locations and begin preliminary discussions with vendors and regulators.

What Challenges Remain for Commercial SMR Deployment?

Despite regulatory progress and manufacturing milestones, significant hurdles persist. NuScale previously canceled its first commercial project, citing rising electricity costs and lack of customer interest, demonstrating that regulatory approval alone does not guarantee commercial viability. The cost and timeline challenges that plagued earlier SMR projects have not entirely disappeared, though the new federal coordination and pilot programs aim to address them through economies of scale and streamlined processes.

Public confidence and safety assurance remain critical. The NRC emphasized that clarity and transparency in licensing are essential not only for developers and regulators but also for maintaining public trust in nuclear energy. As SMRs move from design certification to physical deployment at ports and data centers, community engagement and demonstrated safety records will be as important as regulatory approval.

The convergence of AI's electricity demands, federal coordination, manufacturing breakthroughs, and strategic port deployments suggests that small modular reactors are transitioning from a promising concept to an imminent reality. Whether they deliver on their promise of cheaper, faster, and more flexible nuclear power will depend on sustained collaboration between government agencies, manufacturers, and end-users over the next several years.