Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 23

Trump Administration Unveils $17.5 Billion for 10 Nuclear Reactors as Data-Center Power Demand Surges

Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 23

Trump Administration Unveils $17.5 Billion for 10 Nuclear Reactors as Data-Center Power Demand Surges

Q: As the U.S. plans ten new reactors, where will the resulting nuclear waste be permanently stored?

There is no permanent U.S. storage site currently operating for the waste from these planned reactors. For now, the spent fuel from any new AP1000 units would almost certainly follow the same path as existing U.S. nuclear waste: it would be stored at reactor sites, initially in spent-fuel pools and later in dry casks. That is the system already used across dozens of sites nationwide, and it is considered interim storage rather than permanent disposal. The long-discussed federal repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada remains stalled. Although it was designated in law as the national repository, the project has been effectively frozen for years and has never opened. Even if revived, experts note it would face major political, legal and capacity challenges. The Energy Department is instead pursuing broader waste-management options, including consent-based siting for future facilities, possible consolidated interim storage, and renewed interest in recycling or reprocessing used fuel. But none of those approaches has yet produced an operational permanent repository. So the practical answer is that the waste from the 10 new reactors does not yet have a permanent destination. Until the U.S. establishes one, it will remain stored temporarily at plant sites or, if developed and legally available, at interim storage facilities.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 23

$17.5 billion in federal loans will back long-lead equipment for 10 large U.S. reactors, with the Energy Department aiming to have all 10 under construction by 2030 and generating power in the mid-2030s.
The push is tied to soaring electricity demand from data centers, which used 4% to 5% of U.S. power in 2024 and could nearly triple that share by 2028.
Seven utilities and energy companies have signed letters of intent identifying sites, but the department will choose five locations for two AP1000 reactors each and has not named the companies or states.
Officials say using the same Westinghouse design at multiple sites can rebuild the nuclear supply chain, cut costs and speed timelines by up to three years despite Vogtle's delays and overruns.
The plan supports Trump's goal of quadrupling U.S. nuclear output within 25 years, though critics still argue new reactors are too costly and riskier than other low-carbon power sources.

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The Associated Press18m ago

Trump Administration Announces $17.5 Billion Loans for 10 New US Nuclear Reactors

The New York Times3h ago

Energy Department Announces $17.5 Billion Loans for Nuclear Power Plant Components

Reuters18h ago

US announces $17.5 billion in conditional loans for nuclear power | Reuters

16 Sources

Is this nuclear investment the best way to power AI, or are there faster, cheaper clean energy paths?

As the U.S. plans ten new reactors, where will the resulting nuclear waste be permanently stored?

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U.S. Commits $17.5 Billion for 10 New Nuclear Reactors: Powering AI, Strengthening Energy Security, Competing Globally

Overview

On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $17.5 billion commitment in low-cost loans to support the construction of up to 10 new nuclear reactors across the country. This major investment is part of a larger $80 billion public-private partnership involving key industry players like Westinghouse Electric Company, Cameco Corporation, and Brookfield Asset Management, who began collaborating in 2025. The initiative aims to strengthen the nation’s nuclear energy infrastructure, accelerate advanced reactor deployment, and ensure the U.S. meets rising electricity demand while maintaining energy security and technological leadership.

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