Clean Baseload Power: A Politically Durable Energy Agenda

ClearPath was founded in 2014 to fill the whitespace in the energy debate. Plenty of technology and industry-specific organizations existed. But who was working on an American innovation agenda and policy strategy focused on building clean, baseload energy? And, more specifically, who were the conservative voices?

That’s where ClearPath founder Jay Faison stepped in: “I want conservatives to be leaders on clean energy—from nuclear to hydropower to clean fossil fuels—both to improve the environment and strengthen real conservative leadership.”

Today, politics remain polarized, and there is still healthy debate over which technology is the best, most affordable way to meet growing demand.

Instead of falling into the false choice trap of fossil fuels versus renewables, or the economy versus the environment, we espouse choosing markets over mandates and innovation over regulation.

And now, as the post-One Big Beautiful Bill dust settles, an actual clear path for a politically durable American energy system has emerged.

Amidst the political noise, a quiet, bipartisan consensus has formed around a critical piece of America’s energy future: clean, firm, 24/7 energy technologies.

Both parties recognize that if we want to maintain a reliable grid, meet growing electricity demand to win the AI race, and reduce emissions, we need firm, always-on clean power.

This is where technologies like advanced nuclear, carbon capture, hydropower, fusion and enhanced geothermal systems come in. These solutions can provide round-the-clock electricity. And crucially, they have gained champions on both sides of the aisle. Recent federal policies prove the point. The Energy Act of 2020, which had strong bipartisan support in Congress and was signed into law by President Trump, authorized research, development and deployment policies for clean, firm power.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, passed with bipartisan support and signed by President Biden, dedicated billions to fund demonstrations of those technologies authorized in the Energy Act of 2020.

The Inflation Reduction Act, driven by Democrats in 2022, and One Big Beautiful Bill, by Republicans this year, both have one thing in common — support for new nuclear, long-duration energy storage, carbon capture, geothermal and hydropower, or, as we’ve already said…clean, 24/7 reliable energy.

At the same time, Republican-led states like Wyoming, Utah, Louisiana and West Virginia are actively partnering with private developers to host small modular nuclear reactors and carbon capture projects, while Democratic strongholds like California, New York and Michigan are extending the life of their nuclear plants to keep clean, reliable power on the grid.

The motivation is not ideological; it’s practical. A manufacturing renaissance, more electrification of buildings and industry, and a data-driven economy all require massive amounts of reliable electricity. Without 24/7 power, renewables alone cannot meet that demand without risking blackouts or skyrocketing costs. And while we want to see more fossil fuel power plants with carbon capture get built, supply chains and infrastructure challenges make meeting the entire demand challenging.

Policymakers in both parties are seeing the same reality: the U.S. must invest in American-made technologies that can run all day, all year.

The alignment is not just good for political discourse; it’s good for American energy dominance. China and Russia are aggressively deploying advanced nuclear and other clean energy infrastructure around the world. To beat them, we must diversify our innovations and accelerate the deployment of technologies at home while opening up new global buyers of American-made energy.

At the same time, the drumbeat for modernizing energy permitting is getting louder and for good reason. If we want America to lead the world and develop more of the clean, baseload power that has bipartisan support, developers must have a better path to obtaining permits.

Energy policy may never be completely free from partisanship, but we should not lose sight of the common ground that now clearly exists. When it comes to keeping the lights on, powering the economy and new AI, and lowering global emissions, clean 24/7 energy is one issue where America can still move forward together.

20 Years Since the Energy Policy Act of 2005

It is hard to believe that this month marks 20 years since Congress passed the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005. EPAct 2005 focused on increasing energy supplies, building energy infrastructure and driving investment in American innovation. While it was far from perfect, EPAct was bold and set the stage for U.S. energy dominance. Congress can build on the lessons from EPAct 2005 and continue to deliver energy policy that moves our nation forward.

When EPAct 2005 was crafted, the country was facing complex energy issues. We were grappling with the impacts of the 2003 Northeast Blackout, which affected more than 50 million people and caused an estimated $10 billion in economic losses. There were growing concerns about too much dependence on foreign oil and gas. The nuclear industry was in need of a serious revival to meet its potential. Innovative technologies were struggling to get the financing needed to achieve speed and scale. Congress took these challenges and turned them into opportunities.

Some key provisions of EPAct 2005 included:

Mandatory reliability standards and measures to modernize the transmission infrastructure to improve the grid;
Creation of the Loan Guarantee Program (the precursor to today’s DOE Loan Programs Office (LPO)) to help support investments in innovative technologies, particularly nuclear power;
Expedited siting and permitting of Liquified Natural Gas terminals for more access to markets;
Streamlined hydraulic fracturing regulations to increase domestic oil and gas; and
Tax and R&D support for various resources, such as geothermal, clean coal technologies, advanced nuclear energy, fusion and hydrogen to diversify supplies.

Today, the saga of challenging energy issues continues. Our grid must be ready to meet increased demand driven from data center growth, industrial reshoring and widespread electrification while also dealing with aging infrastructure, the complexity of integrating variable resources and an evolving regulatory landscape. Permitting hurdles remain a major barrier to building critical energy infrastructure. Innovative technologies still need strong public-private partnerships to bridge the commercialization gap and scale to competitive solutions. These challenges set the stage for the next opportunity for energy leadership.

Forecast of Data Center Demand Growth by 2030

Adapted from DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report (2025), underlying data from EPRI, McKinsey & Company, LBNL, S&P

Congress has shown in EPAct 2005 as well as the Energy Act of 2020 that it can deliver broad, bipartisan energy policy. It is time for an updated big, bold, bipartisan energy bill.

The following are examples of policies that can address today’s energy challenges:

Streamline Permitting: Outdated permitting processes are jeopardizing critical infrastructure development. Bills like the SPEED Act, introduced by House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), can help modernize NEPA to reduce duplication, increase transparency and reform judicial and litigation practices. The administration and legislation proposals like the FREE Act introduced by Sen. Lummis (R-WY) and Rep. Maloy (R-UT) have also highlighted the potential for using a regulatory tool called permit-by-rule to expedite permitting, which is a process that allows certain activities to proceed without undergoing a full individualized permit review, as long as they meet predefined criteria.

Improve the Grid: American energy security, AI leadership and manufacturing competitiveness require a robust transmission system. Transmission siting and permitting improvements could streamline grid expansion while balancing and fully respecting states’ roles in the process. Innovative grid technologies and transformer manufacturing deployed at scale would also help optimize the grid. Safeguarding the grid, such as through the work of DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER), is also critical.

Strengthen Pipelines: A modern pipeline system is essential to deliver reliable, affordable energy to homes and industry, including AI data centers. Policy ideas like the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, which passed the House on a bipartisan basis in the 118th Congress and was reintroduced in April 2025 by Reps. Randy Weber (R-TX) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) would support the build-out of all types of pipelines, such as natural gas, LNG, petroleum, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and more. There are also opportunities to update some safety regulations for pipeline infrastructure.

Expand Critical Minerals: Critical minerals are essential to America’s energy security, industrial base and national defense. President Trump’s March 2025 Executive Order prioritized U.S. mineral production and directed DOD and DOI to accelerate support for mining and processing. There have also been several legislative efforts in the 118th and 119th Congress that seek to accelerate permitting for mining projects, boost R&D and strengthen strategic mineral partnerships and finance domestic mineral supply chains. Some examples include: the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, the Unearth Innovation Act and the STRATEGIC Minerals Act.

Expand Nuclear: Building more clean, firm nuclear power is essential for national and economic security. Bills like the Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act introduced in the 118th Congress by Senator Risch (R-ID), or a similar policy, can spur nuclear deployment by addressing cost uncertainty and reducing investment risk. Also, continued funding for the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), first authorized in the Energy Act of 2020, has supported ongoing nuclear energy projects and their fuel supply chain.

Promote Geothermal: Next-generation geothermal technologies have the potential to expand beyond the Western U.S. to provide emissions-free, reliable baseload power all across the country and leverage up to 200,000 existing American jobs in the oil & gas sector. The Trump DOE has prioritized funding for project demonstrations. Innovators have already shown great success, like reducing drilling times by more than 70 percent. Bills like the GEO Act, introduced in the 118th Congress by Sens. Lee (R-UT) and Heinrich (D-NM), can streamline federal permitting requirements and apply best practices to unlock additional deployments of these next-generation projects. The energy unlock that EPAct 2005’s categorical exclusion provided for certain oil and gas activities on federal lands could be replicated for geothermal.

Reshore Manufacturing: Meeting infrastructure needs requires producing and deploying core building materials at scale and speed. Bills like the Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act (CAIA), introduced in March 2025 on a bipartisan basis by Sens. Coons (D-DE) and Tillis (R-NC), are designed to bring innovative cement and asphalt technologies to market faster, increase domestic production and meet the demand for 1 million tons of cement by 2028, triggered by AI data center development.

Accelerate Carbon Technologies: Industrial innovation includes carbon management innovation. Bipartisan bills like the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies Act (CREST), introduced in the 117th and 118th Congresses, would authorize DOE’s carbon removal innovation efforts and help keep American companies ahead of global competitors. By driving private investment and reducing costs to meet growing demand, CREST can help build a trillion-dollar American industry capable of delivering gigaton-scale removals by 2050.

Strengthen Global Leadership: In order to advance U.S. national interests, level the playing field for American businesses and solidify global leadership in key energy sectors, strategic enhancements are needed at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM). The DFC authorization expires in October 2025 and the EXIM authorization expires in December 2026. These are financing tools designed to secure U.S. energy leadership and push back against China’s aggressive, state-funded energy expansion.

Advanced Nuclear Energy Is Coming to U.S. Military Bases

A reliable energy supply is key to a prepared and effective military, especially considering the amount of digital and electric domestic infrastructure used today. Approximately 95% of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) military bases are powered by the existing regional grid, making it the foundation for national defense. The Trump administration’s four nuclear energy executive orders recognize the role advanced nuclear technology can play in securing reliable power for both military and civilian use, marking a bold vision for an energy-dominant America that leads the world in nuclear energy deployment. These orders prioritize rapid reactor deployment, set a goal of quadrupling nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050, direct the DoD to demonstrate military applications of advanced nuclear energy and outline a whole-of-government approach to streamline licensing and revitalize domestic nuclear energy and fuel infrastructure.

In addition to providing a dedicated power supply to support these efforts, a reliable grid with a robust transmission system is key to ensuring certainty for national security. Avoiding power disruptions is essential to maintaining mission readiness, communications and defense operations. By securing their own reliable energy supply, military bases reduce vulnerability to grid failures, cyberattacks and fuel supply chain disruptions, ensuring consistent operational capability in both peacetime and conflict.

May 2025 Executive Order: Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security

Sources: Whitehouse.gov

The Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security executive order tasks the DoD with demonstrating at least one advanced nuclear reactor on a military installation by September 30, 2028, a clear milestone that aligns with previous initiatives in the DoD and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). To achieve this, they will collaborate closely with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to streamline development, testing and approval processes, focusing on pilot microreactor programs at military bases. This effort can reduce the military’s dependence on vulnerable fuel supply lines and enhance the energy resilience of installations through reliable off-grid power. Additionally, these efforts can have transformative effects on the broader nuclear energy industry. Establishing a steady pipeline of military-led advanced reactor projects can help build out an order book that enables more predictable demand for manufacturers, encourages investment in domestic supply chains and promotes regulatory certainty that can significantly lower costs over time. As more units are built and deployed, economies of scale and standardization can help bend the cost curve, making advanced nuclear reactors more accessible for commercial use.

This push to leverage nuclear innovations to support defense capabilities mirrors history. Naval reactors, first developed in 1954, pioneered many design innovations and critical safety protocols that paved the way for the first civilian power plants. The DoD could jump-start the civilian nuclear industry again by procuring and de-risking advanced reactor technology.

Existing DoD Advanced Nuclear Energy Initiatives

Sources: 1. Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI), 2. Air and Space Forces Magazine, 3. ClearPath, 4. American Nuclear Society

Overall, President Trump’s nuclear energy executive orders represent a strategic connection between national defense and energy independence. By placing advanced nuclear technologies at the core of military reliability and broader energy security, these initiatives create a forward-looking framework for public-private collaboration. The potential results following recent DoD initiatives and executive orders not only enhance military readiness but also revitalize the U.S. nuclear industry by providing an early demand signal. Ultimately, this effort lays the foundation for a clean, secure and self-reliant energy future for the military.

The New Realities of Grid Planning: A Dominion Energy Case Study

It’s no secret that U.S. electricity demand is skyrocketing. New manufacturing, electrification and data centers are driving this growth. U.S. power demand is expected to increase 78% by 2050. This contrasts with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) forecasts, which predict an 18% winter peak demand growth and 15% summer peak demand growth over the next 10 years. This dramatic increase represents a significant shift from the last two decades of relatively stagnant demand, fundamentally shifting the paradigm for utilities. Nationwide, power providers must quickly build new generation and transmission assets to meet this demand while maintaining affordability, reliability and energy security. Dominion Energy, for example, faces a particularly daunting path as the demand growth in its service area is growing, at nearly 6% annually, due to Virginia’s status as the data center capital of the world.

To deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy, utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans (IRPs), which outline how they intend to build energy infrastructure and meet the needs of ratepayers. Utilities must excel at forecasting energy needs to avoid the costly mistakes of building too little or too much generation capacity. In today’s era of fast-paced growth, an all-of-the-above approach strategy is necessary to bring enough new generation online to keep up.

To put this into perspective, Dominion Energy’s energy demand forecasts jumped from an annual growth rate of 1-1.4% in its 2020 IRP to nearly 7% in its 2023 IRP and are now projecting 5.5% in its 2024 IRP. This signals that forecasting energy demand is turbulent, especially when facing evolving laws, retiring generation assets and demand.

The Road Ahead

The passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) in 2020, which mandates a transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045, is a factor that Dominion must address in its IRP development. The VCEA encourages significant deployment of clean, firm power sources like nuclear energy to ensure grid reliability and meet growing demand. The VCEA has made it challenging to continue operating and developing new natural gas or coal projects, leading to the forced retirement of several operating fossil fuel plants by 2045, which collectively provide more than 4.5 GW of baseload energy generation. This loss of reliable generation is a central hurdle for Dominion, making clean, firm power critical to ensure grid reliability and affordability.

The U.S. needs to be focused on energy addition, not subtraction. Focusing on data centers alone, in 2023, Dominion connected 15 data centers to the grid, with 15 more in 2024, adding nearly two GW to the grid. This additional demand is roughly the size of two advanced large reactors, such as Vogtle units 3 & 4 in Georgia. This demand will not slow anytime soon and will be the main driver of the 183% increase in unconstrained demand by 2040, according to a study conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), the Virginia General Assembly’s oversight agency.

In a “show me the money” moment reminiscent of Jerry Maguire’s Rod Tidwell, Dominion is significantly increasing its five-year capital expenditure plan, now totaling approximately $50.1 billion through 2029, up from a previous estimate of $43.2 billion. This is an enormous capital investment, and it is only one utility in one state. Dominion is also:

Proposing its first rate base increase since 1992;
Prioritizing the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) by the mid-2030s;
Partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems to operate the first commercial fusion power plant by the early 2030s; and
Committing to building approximately 21 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2039.

Rapid Energy Addition

Fusion energy was not even mentioned 5 years ago in Dominion’s 2020 IRP or subsequent updates until 2023. SMRs were not viewed as an “available resource” for deployment until the 2022 IRP. Prior to that, in the 2020 IRP, SMRs were only discussed as a developing technology under investigation. Now, plans call for significant new SMR capacity, such as the 1.3 GW proposed by 2039 in the 2024 IRP. Battery storage also shows a striking increase in Dominion’s plans. While the 2022 IRP called for approximately 100 MW of new battery storage capacity, the 2024 IRP now projects as much as 4,500 MW of battery storage by 2039.

As utilities like Dominion Energy face the monumental task of building new energy infrastructure, getting projects online sooner is an imperative. The multi-year wait times for permitting are a significant bottleneck, which is why modernizing the U.S. permitting system should be a bipartisan priority. Robust support for innovative technologies like advanced nuclear and fusion energy is equally vital. Tech-neutral clean electricity credits like 45Y and 48E support quicker scale-up of new generation. Programs such as the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), which aims to demonstrate new nuclear technologies, and the Loan Program Office (LPO), which provides much-needed financing for early-stage scale-up, are essential for providing the financial backing these innovative projects need to reach commercialization. Addressing these challenges head-on can ensure a more reliable, secure and affordable energy future.

Transformative Regulatory Reform for New Reactors

Energy Incentives Will Unlock Energy Dominance (The Washington Times)

This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Times on April 28, 2025. Click here to read the entire piece.

The first 100 days of the new Trump administration have reshaped the energy landscape. Reliable, affordable energy is a top priority as the president seeks to unleash a new era of American energy dominance. Lower energy prices can usher in a true golden age for U.S. consumers. Done well, this agenda can also reduce global carbon dioxide emissions.

This dynamic is underscored by the president’s work to recruit new artificial intelligence and data center investments to the U.S. These investments can lead to economic development and will require rapid energy demand growth when paired with an American manufacturing resurgence, increasing U.S. energy demand by as much as 18% over the next decade, according to data from the North American Electric Reliability Council. Energy prices are one of the most important cost drivers in these energy-intensive industries.

A rapid increase in supply is required to maintain affordable costs for all American consumers. The U.S. must rapidly deploy all types of new American power. To effectively deploy these new technologies at speed, the administration will need to break down permitting barriers to accelerate the buildout of new energy infrastructure like pipelines, transmission, and other grid-enhancing technologies.

In addition to streamlining the permitting process to increase and maximize new investments, minimizing the tax burden on developers is another essential part of this equation. Maintaining low corporate rates is certainly going to help, but tax incentives also play an enormous role in minimizing investment risk and keeping prices low. Fortunately, some key incentives will not require drastic policy changes like the green new deal or a heavy-handed government regulation.

Existing incentives authored or supported by Republicans in Congress under current law are critical for American leadership in new, affordable, 24/7 American power. These forms of power include advanced nuclear, geothermal, hydropower, natural gas with carbon capture, and even new breakthroughs in fusion technology. Key incentives, like 48E/45Y technology-neutral electricity credit; the 45X advanced manufacturing credit; the 45Q carbon capture, utilization, and storage credit; and the 45V hydrogen credit, can reduce the costs for American producers and support the manufacturers and the mineral supply chain across the economy. Simply put, consumer prices go up if the U.S. doesn’t lower the tax and energy cost burden for American producers and manufacturers.

Click here to read the full article

State of Play: The Chemical and Refining Sectors

Securing Indiana’s Nuclear Energy Future

Indiana is on the brink of a new era in energy security–one that will strengthen its economy and pave the way to a reliable energy future. Driven by Governor Braun’s commitment to advanced nuclear power, private sector investments can boost local power generation, provide businesses with predictable energy costs and meet rising demand.

Reimagining Indiana’s grid to capitalize on AI technology and the American manufacturing resurgence will require new state and federal policies to let Indiana build. A multi-faceted effort by Indiana’s government, academic institutions and a major utility is underway to explore, incentivize and prepare for the integration of advanced nuclear energy technologies into the state’s future energy landscape.

Indiana is facing an unprecedented surge in electricity demand. Regional grid projections indicate that demand will climb nearly 2% annually through 2030, then double to 4% annually through 2040 – a rate that is 10 to 20 times higher than in the past decade. Over the next 15 years, this growth translates to a potential 60% increase in electricity demand – more than Colorado’s energy demand today.

The state government is proactively preparing for this increase. In 2024, it commissioned a study by Purdue University to explore the feasibility and impacts of building new nuclear in Indiana, which identified three key opportunities:

Supply chain growth is driven by early adopters and can attract new high-value businesses to Indiana, including component manufacturing and workforce development.
Construction benefits the local economy because many materials, structures and labor are locally sourced.
Coal site colocation is an opportunity to leverage an existing workforce and infrastructure to grow state energy production while minimizing land use.

Since his inauguration, Governor Braun has committed to exploring pathways for new nuclear projects and is positioning the state at the forefront of energy innovation. Several major milestones advanced this mission:

In February 2025, Indiana took a leading role in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative, a 10-state effort that aims to use supportive policies to deploy new nuclear power to meet growing energy demands.
In April 2025, the State Assembly and Governor Mike Braun enacted SB424, a bill that empowers utilities to act swiftly and strategically, ensuring Hoosiers have access to diverse energy options, including advanced nuclear technology.
Looking ahead, in the summer of 2025, Indiana is hosting a strategic nuclear energy planning retreat alongside the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Governors Association to create a framework that supports energy security and economic growth through the use of new nuclear technologies. The event will focus on establishing a state-based nuclear working group to develop educational resources and a community engagement strategy and to analyze the potential for economic development.

Support for nuclear energy is recognized at a national level. Over the past eight years, the U.S. Congress has passed several bipartisan bills to support demonstrations, improve regulations and secure America’s nuclear fuel supply. Most recently, Senator James Risch (R-ID) introduced the Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act, which mitigates risk and provides insurance against escalating costs. There is undeniable momentum for new nuclear energy in the U.S., particularly in Indiana.

With increasing momentum, companies are taking notice. The utility, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), applied for $50 million to begin the early stages of nuclear reactor deployment near a coal facility in Rockport, Indiana. I&M is a participant in a coalition of utilities, industry and universities that collectively applied for a public-private partnership of $800 million to advance deployment at several sites.

America needs an energy addition, not an energy transition. With so much growth potential, consider the economic advantages of a robust and reliable energy sector. Businesses will be attracted to Indiana, knowing they can rely on a steady and affordable power supply, especially from a reliable source like nuclear energy. Indiana is positioning itself as a leader in energy innovation and empowering its utilities to plan for the future and adopt new technologies, ensuring it remains a competitive and thriving state for decades to come. By embracing innovation and prioritizing reliability, along with the incorporation of advanced nuclear energy, Indiana can secure its energy future.

Power Demand Explained: Watts, Gigawatts and the Future of Energy

These days, we hear a lot about the rapid increase in global energy demand due to various factors like growing economies, widespread electrification, and the rise of data centers as AI expands. And it’s true. Here in the United States, after 15 years of static growth, our electricity demand is rising at an accelerated rate. Researchers estimate that by 2030, we will need 20% more energy – a total of 5 million gigawatt-hours of electricity each year.

“5 million gigawatt-hours.” That sounds like a lot. But what does that really mean?

Let’s start with the basics. A watt is a measure of power in an instant. For example, the 60-watt light bulb in your lamp at home requires 60 watts of power to turn on. A Watt-hour is a measurement of that power usage over time.

So, let’s say you turn on your lamp to read a book for two hours, you use 120 watt-hours of electricity. Easy enough.

Now, let’s take a look at a few other examples, going in order from smallest to largest. But first a reminder about unit prefixes: there are one thousand watts in a kilowatt, one million in a megawatt, and one billion in a gigawatt.

While you’re reading your book, your lamp might only use 120-watt hours of electricity, but the average American household will use 2.4 kilowatt-hours during that time. That’s your lamp, the AC, the TV playing, and so on. Scaling up – with 150 megawatt-hours – you could power 42,000 American households for three hours while they watch a Sunday afternoon football game… or you could use your 150 megawatt-hours to power the NFL stadium itself. In the same amount of time, a large city like Washington D.C. would consume 25 times that much electricity, almost 4 gigawatt hours.

Currently, the U.S. needs around 4 million of these gigawatt-hours a year – again that’s 4 million billion watt-hours – or 4 with 15 zeros after it – and those needs are met with a mixture of 60% fossil fuels, 30% renewables, and 10% nuclear energy. And to get us 20 percent more energy – up to 5 million gigawatt hours a year – we would need the equivalent of 1,500 Hoover dams in additional generation. That means we are going to need a lot more of ALL of these energy sources to keep up with expected demand.

And, we don’t just need more energy, we need energy that is affordable, reliable and clean. In other words, we need to take a pragmatic, all of the above approach to U.S. energy development. To keep the lights on – at a price that consumers can afford, we need more baseload energy – the 24/7/ 300 and 65 days a year electricity sources that provide clean power. That means things like advanced nuclear, geothermal, and natural gas with carbon capture.

Ultimately, in order to generate and move all this energy around, we are going to need more than 15,000 new energy projects in this decade alone, and every single one of those projects starts with a permit. Unfortunately today in the United States, you can get a college degree faster than you can get a permit to build a clean energy project. That is why we all must work together to streamline federal permitting processes and unleash American energy.

ClearPath’s answer to the power demand challenge? It’s time to Let America Build.

Five States to Watch for New Nuclear

U.S. power use is projected to hit record highs in 2024 and 2025, with electricity demand expected to rise 9% by 2028. Several states are deciding to act now, and positioning nuclear as a key solution to meet growing needs and attract early business opportunities.

The time is ripe: 2024 showed the strongest wave of interest in nuclear power development from industries other than utilities since construction began on Vogtle over a decade ago. Tech giants like Google, Amazon and Microsoft have made deals with nuclear developers to meet clean energy goals in response to soaring electricity demand fueled by AI investment.

Google signed an agreement to purchase up to 500 MWs of Kairos Power’s reactor technology.
Amazon led a $500 million investment in X-energy to build up to 5 GW of nuclear projects by 2039 – enough electricity to power ~4M U.S. homes. They are partnering with Energy Northwest and Dominion Power to deploy reactors at existing nuclear sites.
Microsoft is reviving Three Mile Island’s Unit 1 near Harrisburg, PA.
Meta issued a request for proposals seeking up to 4 GW of new nuclear energy to support its data center portfolio.

These developments reflect years of strong bipartisan support and policy wins. The growing collaboration among project developers, utilities, and major corporations underscores the critical role nuclear power will play in meeting future energy demand.

The U.S. currently consumes 4,300 TWh of electricity annually, with 60% generated from fossil fuels, 19% from nuclear power, and 21% from renewables. Surging energy demand from data centers and manufacturing growth is driving states to seek more reliable power. Electrifying these industries could add 6,000 to 10,000 TWh to grid demand, more than tripling current electricity consumption. This dramatic increase stresses the importance for states to expand clean energy generation and grid infrastructure. Large industrial economies, like Indiana, West Virginia and North Dakota where industry consumes ~50% of energy, are seeking additional energy generation sources, including nuclear, to meet demand.

Federal Programs and Incentives for Nuclear Energy

While federal policy drives broad nuclear innovation, states play a critical role in actually building and deploying the nuclear energy. The U.S. has seen early mover states collaborate with developers to streamline permitting, reduce delays and support early-site preparation. This state-level action is crucial for moving projects from concept to reality.

U.S. State Limits on New Nuclear Deployment

Several states have recently lifted historical bans on nuclear development or passed updated policies. West Virginia ended a 25-year ban, and Illinois repealed its 36-year moratorium. Connecticut passed legislation exempting the Millstone Power Station from the state’s nuclear construction moratorium, allowing for potential new reactor development at the site. Montana, Kentucky and Wisconsin also removed bans, signaling a shift toward nuclear for grid reliability and economic stability.

In April 2024, Georgia celebrated the launch of Units 3 & 4 at Plant Vogtle, two of three U.S. commercial reactors built in the 21st century, marking a major milestone in U.S. nuclear leadership. Terrapower bolstered this momentum, building the Natrium Reactor in Kemmerer, WY, a project supported by the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). Vogtle’s completion and projects like Natrium are revitalizing interest in nuclear energy. This includes the restarts of decommissioned plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania, as well as new policies creating energy funds and strengthening public-private partnerships.

Five States to Watch

Indiana’s Nuclear Innovation

Governor Mike Braun released his Freedom and Opportunity Agenda, which includes support for advanced nuclear power in the state.

The agenda aims to leverage federal cost-reduction programs, streamline regulatory processes, and form partnerships among developers, utilities and consumers to convert base-load plants to nuclear power.

Tennessee Nuclear Momentum

Tennessee is advancing nuclear innovation by leveraging Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and strategic partnerships.

Governor Bill Lee created the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council to accelerate deployment.
The state established a $50 million Nuclear Energy Fund to expand the state’s nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) committed $350 million to new reactor development.
TVA is leading a multi-joint public-private application for $800 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s U.S. Gen III+ SMR technology grant to help accelerate the deployment of the BWRX-300.
Orano USA is pursuing construction of a uranium enrichment facility at ORNL supported by the state’s Nuclear Energy Fund.

Texas’ Nuclear Strategy

Texas released a landmark report in response to Governor Greg Abbott’s 2023 directive to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to position Texas as a leader in advanced nuclear energy.

X-energy is constructing four Xe-100 reactors at the Dow Chemical plant in Seadrift, Texas – the first new reactors built at an industrial site in North America.
Texas A&M’s RELLIS project will test advanced reactors, while Abilene Christian University’s NEXT lab develops the first university-based molten salt coolant reactor.
Diamondback Energy and Oklo signed a letter of intent to construct 50 MW of power.

Utah’s Nuclear Expansion

Governor Spencer Cox is driving nuclear innovation in Utah with his 2025 budget announcement, prioritizing site identification, permitting readiness, and creating the infrastructure and economic ecosystem needed to enable nuclear leadership.

Governor Cox included $20 Million for nuclear infrastructure in his proposed budget as part of Operation Gigawatt. Utah collaborates with Idaho National Lab’s Frontier Initiative to develop strategic nuclear development frameworks.
Utah’s Office of Energy Development released a 2024 Strategic Nuclear Energy Pathway to inform the legislature of regulatory needs and aid in planning.

Virginia’s Nuclear Progress

Virginia’s load growth is projected to double by 2039, the highest electricity demand in the nation, causing the state to position itself to lead in new reactor development.

The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium was established to align industry and academia.
State bills SB 549 and HB 1303 create a strategic nuclear energy plan, and SB 454 allows electric utilities to recover new reactor development costs.
The Clean Energy Innovation Bank, seeded with $10 million, links public and private capital for advanced energy.
Dominion Energy and Amazon signed a memorandum of understanding to explore new reactor development in Virginia.

A unified state-federal policy effort is essential to unlocking nuclear’s potential, meeting growing energy needs and achieving a clean, reliable future. Federal incentives alone cannot ensure the economic viability of advanced nuclear projects. Because of this, states are taking on their own initiatives to complement federal policies. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to deploying new nuclear; states deserve to optimize their own resources in conjunction with federal resources to meet their power needs.