Clean industry executives and experts at DOE's Deploy 2024 conference were surprisingly optimistic about continuing market growth linked to the boom in energy demand from data centers, AI and electrification.

The war in the Ukraine, coupled with the boom in electricity demand driven by data centers, has created a “muscular resurgence” of interest in nuclear, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said.

The new federal funding is aimed at building market confidence that the U.S. nuclear industry will be able to incorporate the lessons learned at Vogtle to deliver a new round of safer, more efficient SMRs on time and on budget.

DOE's commitment of $500 million in IRA dollars may not be enough. Building private sector confidence in the emerging HALEU market could require up to $2.9 billion more in additional federal funding.

Several Midwestern states on opposite ends of the political spectrum have taken steps signaling receptiveness to small modular reactor development.

The challenge ahead for X-energy: early planning for design, procurement and construction to deliver the first Xe-100s on time and on budget.

DOE is estimating that 500 to 750 GW of clean, firm power — including 200 GW of new nuclear — will be needed to reach net-zero emissions economy-wide by 2050.

Decarbonizing the US economy by 2050 will require doubling nuclear energy generation by deploying 100 GW of advanced reactors, according to reports by the NIA.