Trump signs decrees to expand the nuclear energy

The United States wants to massively expand the use of nuclear energy. President Donald Trump signed four decrees on Friday to enable the construction of new nuclear power plants. The United States wanted to be “a real power” in the nuclear industry again, said Trump. According to a Trump consultant, the aim is to quadruple nuclear power production in the next 25 years.

For this purpose, regulations on the construction of new nuclear power plants should be significantly simplified. Approval should be granted after 18 months at the latest. A reform of the nuclear supervisory authority NRC is also planned. In addition, the US government wants to promote and enrich domestic uranium for fuel rods, so far the United States have rely on imports.

From Trump’s environment, it was said that during his second term – i.e. until January 2029 – new reactors should be approved and built. The United States currently has 94 nuclear reactors in operation, which is the largest number worldwide. However, the Meilers are considered outdated. The average age is 42 years.

Trump rejected fears that an accelerated building of nuclear systems is a security risk. “We will make it very quickly and very secure,” he said. “It’s time for nuclear energy and we make it very big.” After his swearing-in on January 20, Trump had proclaimed an “energy emergency” to expand oil and natural gas production.

Trump thus takes the break with the policy of his predecessor Joe Biden from the Democratic Party. This had relied on climate protection and the expansion of wind and solar energy. However, bidges also approved tax incentives to maintain the nuclear facilities. They were part of his so -called inflation reduction law (inflation reduction act; ira), which provided around $ 370 billion (around 350 billion euros) for “clean” technologies.

With the expansion of nuclear power, Trump also wants to set an example against the rival China. The People’s Republic has 57 reactors and is currently building 27 new ones. The largest nuclear park operator in Europe is France. The government in Paris plans to build at least six new facilities in the coming years.

Note: This article has been updated.