US fast-tracks nuclear reactor testing to catch up with China’s boom

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a pilot program to accelerate the testing and commercial licensing of advanced nuclear reactors, aiming to catch up with China’s rapid nuclear energy expansion. This initiative, authorized under President Donald Trump’s executive order on reforming nuclear reactor testing, allows private companies to construct and operate test reactors outside national laboratories. The program seeks to streamline development by requiring applicants to demonstrate technological readiness, financial viability, and a plan to achieve reactor criticality by July 4, 2026. Selected companies will bear all costs related to design, construction, operation, and decommissioning, with applications due by July 21, 2025. This move is part of a broader effort to boost American innovation in nuclear technology, enhance economic growth, and strengthen national security. It builds on existing DOE and Department of Defense projects involving microreactors and advanced reactor demonstrations. The urgency stems from China’s aggressive nuclear expansion, which includes 102 reactors operating, under construction, or approved