Reports related to this article:
Project(s): View 2 related projects in PECWeb
Plant(s): View 2 related plants in PECWeb
Released November 12, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
en
Written by Danny Levin, Deputy Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)
Speaking at a conference hosted by the American Nuclear Society in Washington, D.C., he said he expects demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers will attract billions of dollars in equity capital for new nuclear capacity, adding the DOE could match that funding with low-cost debt financing.
"When we leave office three years and three months from now, I want to see hopefully dozens of nuclear plants under construction," Wright said.
At another conference in September, Jarrod Agen, the executive director of the council, said long-term investments in nuclear power are one strategy. For more information, see September 8, 2025, article - Nuclear Energy Tops Trump's Agenda.
The Trump administration's efforts to boost nuclear power include the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) loan to reopen the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan. The plant received its first fuel in October, although there is still work to be completed so the plant can reopen.
In addition, the NRC has been at work approving the extension of nuclear plant operational licenses across the country, as well as initiating the review of applications for other extensions. For more information, see October 22, 2025, article - Closed U.S. Nuclear Plant Reaches Another Reopening Milestone.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can learn more on the Palisades restart from a related project report and plant profile.
Trump signed an executive order in May with the goal of having 10 new large nuclear reactors under construction by 2030 and 5 gigawatts of nuclear power uprates by 2030. One such strategy under the order is to provide funding for such projects.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce reached an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) to provide at least $80 billion in funding for reactors that utilize Westinghouse technology. For more information, see October 30, 2025, article - U.S. Forms Nuclear Strategic Partnership with Private Sector.
Late last month, the agency opened up a process to award up to $100 million in funds to refurbish or modernize U.S. coal-fired power plants, seemingly with a focus on transitioning coal to natural gas. This comes as project data from Industrial Info indicates most domestic coal-fired plant projects are related to closures.
For more information, see November 7, 2025, article - DOE Tips Its Hand Towards Coal-to-Gas Projects with New Funding.
Late last month, the DOE's loan programs office finalized a $1.5 billion loan to help support domestic coal-powered fertilizer production by financing the restart of Wabash Valley Resources' (West Terre Haute, Indiana) coal-gasification plant in West Terre Haute as well as repurposing it to produce low-carbon ammonia for fertilizer production. The ammonia unit is designed to produce 500,000 metric tons of ammonia per year by using coal from a nearby mine and petcoke as feedstock.
Coal gasification is a process that converts solid coal into a gaseous mixture known as syngas (synthesis gas) through a series of chemical reactions.
Subscribers to the GMI database can view the related project report and plant profile.
Industrial Info is tracking the project with a kickoff date in 2026.
Key Takeaways
About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
Summary
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said the Trump administration will prioritize nuclear power for DOE loans.Nuclear Power Will Receive Majority of DOE Funds
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright was quoted by news reports on Monday as saying the Department of Energy (DOE) has "significant lending authority ... By far the biggest use of those dollars will be for nuclear power plants--to get those first plants built."Speaking at a conference hosted by the American Nuclear Society in Washington, D.C., he said he expects demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers will attract billions of dollars in equity capital for new nuclear capacity, adding the DOE could match that funding with low-cost debt financing.
"When we leave office three years and three months from now, I want to see hopefully dozens of nuclear plants under construction," Wright said.
U.S. Efforts to Boost Nuclear Power
In one of his first acts of office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create the White House Council for Energy Dominance--designed to provide the country with a strategic and independent advantage for energy production. The council will coordinate with the government, including the DOE, on efforts to reach this goal, including expediting related projects.At another conference in September, Jarrod Agen, the executive director of the council, said long-term investments in nuclear power are one strategy. For more information, see September 8, 2025, article - Nuclear Energy Tops Trump's Agenda.
The Trump administration's efforts to boost nuclear power include the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) loan to reopen the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan. The plant received its first fuel in October, although there is still work to be completed so the plant can reopen.
In addition, the NRC has been at work approving the extension of nuclear plant operational licenses across the country, as well as initiating the review of applications for other extensions. For more information, see October 22, 2025, article - Closed U.S. Nuclear Plant Reaches Another Reopening Milestone.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can learn more on the Palisades restart from a related project report and plant profile.
Nuclear Reactor Construction Needed
The buildout of nuclear power generation will not be possible without scaling the construction of new large-scale reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs), the latter of which are compact nuclear units with capacities of up to 300 megawatts (MW).Trump signed an executive order in May with the goal of having 10 new large nuclear reactors under construction by 2030 and 5 gigawatts of nuclear power uprates by 2030. One such strategy under the order is to provide funding for such projects.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce reached an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) to provide at least $80 billion in funding for reactors that utilize Westinghouse technology. For more information, see October 30, 2025, article - U.S. Forms Nuclear Strategic Partnership with Private Sector.
Other DOE Funding
Despite the push to boost nuclear power, the DOE also is focusing its funding efforts elsewhere, even as it is axing funding for a variety of clean energy and battery-related projects.Late last month, the agency opened up a process to award up to $100 million in funds to refurbish or modernize U.S. coal-fired power plants, seemingly with a focus on transitioning coal to natural gas. This comes as project data from Industrial Info indicates most domestic coal-fired plant projects are related to closures.
For more information, see November 7, 2025, article - DOE Tips Its Hand Towards Coal-to-Gas Projects with New Funding.
Late last month, the DOE's loan programs office finalized a $1.5 billion loan to help support domestic coal-powered fertilizer production by financing the restart of Wabash Valley Resources' (West Terre Haute, Indiana) coal-gasification plant in West Terre Haute as well as repurposing it to produce low-carbon ammonia for fertilizer production. The ammonia unit is designed to produce 500,000 metric tons of ammonia per year by using coal from a nearby mine and petcoke as feedstock.
Coal gasification is a process that converts solid coal into a gaseous mixture known as syngas (synthesis gas) through a series of chemical reactions.
Subscribers to the GMI database can view the related project report and plant profile.
Industrial Info is tracking the project with a kickoff date in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The DOE will focus its loan funding on nuclear power.
- The White House aims for 10 new large nuclear reactors under construction by 2030 and 5 gigawatts of nuclear power uprates by 2030.
- The DOE also finances a variety of other projects.
About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
