In a two-part series, Charles Goulding and Anthony Palumbo explore how recent U.S. executive orders and private-sector energy demands are driving a nuclear energy revival, with additive manufacturing (AM) poised to accelerate innovation and deployment. This first installment examines four key executive orders and highlights how AM is poised to bridge regulatory momentum with the tech industry’s shift toward nuclear-powered AI infrastructure.
Introduction: Executive Momentum Meets Tech Demand
On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed four executive orders aimed at revitalizing the U.S. . nuclear energy sector. These directives prioritize the rapid deployment of advanced reactors, reformation of licensing processes, expansion of domestic fuel infrastructure, and modernization of national laboratory testing capabilities. The push reflects nuclear power’s growing role in national security, clean energy, and the rapidly escalating electricity demands of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
Leading tech firms, such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, are actively investing in nuclear energy to meet these needs sustainably. At the center of this convergence lies additive manufacturing (AM), which offers a fast, flexible, and cost-effective solution for producing reactor components, accelerating design iteration, facilitating rapid prototyping, and supporting advanced reactor deployment at scale.
Four Executive Orders Reshaping U.S. Nuclear Policy
- Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security
The executive order mandates the Department of Defense to deploy at least one small nuclear reactor at a U.S. military installation by 2028 to ensure operational resilience and security for military bases. Simultaneously, the Department of Energy (DOE) must identify national labs and other secure facilities as eligible sites for next-generation reactor projects, including those intended to power AI data centers. To support fuel availability, the DOE will establish a reserve of at least 20 metric tons of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), which is essential for many advanced reactor designs.
- Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base
Invoking the Defense Production Act, this executive order directs the DOE to expand and modernize U.S.-based uranium conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication. A comprehensive strategy will be developed within 120 days to reduce reliance on foreign uranium suppliers. The initiative also encourages significant bolstering of domestic capacity for producing both Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) and High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), as well as the exploration of sustainable spent fuel recycling pathways.
- Reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Recognizing that traditional licensing processes have impeded nuclear innovation, this executive order instructs the NRC to establish clear, predictable, and expedited timelines for licensing decisions, notably setting an 18-month limit for new reactor approvals. It specifically directs the NRC to modernize and revise safety standards and regulations to appropriately accommodate the unique operational characteristics of advanced reactor technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and microreactors. Furthermore, the NRC is mandated to enhance interagency coordination with the DOE and other federal entities, aiming to harmonize regulatory practices, facilitate knowledge sharing, and utilize advanced digital tools for regulatory oversight. This streamlined approach seeks to foster a more efficient and innovative-friendly regulatory environment.
- Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at DOE
With this executive order in place, DOE must significantly increase private-sector access to national laboratory infrastructure, enabling accelerated testing and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactor technologies. Specifically, DOE is tasked with fast-tracking applications and ensuring operational demonstrations occur within two years of submission. It encourages leveraging DOE’s extensive research capabilities and existing test facilities, such as Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to provide real-world testing environments for new nuclear technologies. This initiative aims to significantly shorten traditional reactor development timelines, reduce bureaucratic delays, and catalyze private-sector innovation by offering streamlined regulatory pathways and more flexible environmental review processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Additive Manufacturing: Enabling Rapid Nuclear Innovation
Additive manufacturing (AM) is playing a foundational role in enabling these policy goals. Its ability to fabricate intricate geometries, optimize material use, and support accelerated iteration makes it ideal for producing next-generation nuclear components.
One of the most transformative examples is Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) work on the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR), where laser powder bed fusion was used to print complex microreactor core components. This effort significantly reduces development timelines and is further expanded upon by national labs and startups alike.
Beyond prototyping, AM enables the production of reactor parts that are no longer commercially available or are too complex for traditional fabrication. For instance, Slovenia’s Krško nuclear power plant replaced a pump impeller with a 3D-printed stainless-steel part, while Framatome deployed 3D-printed tie plates at the Forsmark nuclear plant in Sweden. U.S. utilities are also piloting 3D-printed brackets and structural parts under long-term monitoring.
Crucially, regulatory bodies are recognizing the need to adapt. The NRC is working alongside the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to update safety codes that accommodate additive manufacturing. Global efforts, such as the EU’s Nuclear Components Based on Additive Manufacturing (NUCOBAM) initiative, are helping establish qualification standards to build confidence in AM-produced nuclear parts.
Tech Giants Embrace Nuclear Power for AI Infrastructure
The AI boom has introduced massive electricity demands that would benefit from a dependable, carbon-free power source. As a result, leading tech companies are making bold moves toward nuclear energy, while additive manufacturing is poised to support this infrastructure scale-up.
Google:
Google has proactively partnered with Elementl Power, committing significant investment to advance multiple nuclear reactor projects across the United States. Specifically targeting the development of three advanced reactors, each with approximately 600 megawatts capacity, Google aims to achieve stable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy critical for supporting extensive AI operations and data centers. Google’s investment is part of its broader corporate commitment to attain 24/7 carbon-free electricity, complementing renewable sources with reliable nuclear power to meet its continuously growing computational demands.
Amazon Web Services (AWS):
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has strategically forged partnerships to leverage nuclear energy. Collaborating with Energy Northwest, AWS plans to deploy four small modular reactors (SMRs) in Washington State, potentially scaling to a total capacity of 960 megawatts in subsequent phases. Concurrently, AWS is partnering with Dominion Energy to explore the addition of SMRs adjacent to existing reactor sites in Virginia. Beyond future developments, AWS has demonstrated immediate commitment by situating data centers directly adjacent to Talen Energy’s Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, enabling immediate access to reliable, carbon-free nuclear-generated electricity.
Microsoft:
Microsoft has taken an innovative approach, signing a pivotal agreement with Constellation Energy to potentially source electricity from the revitalization of the historic Three Mile Island Unit 1 reactor in Pennsylvania. Closed in 2019, this iconic plant could return online specifically to supply Microsoft’s data centers, providing approximately 800 megawatts of clean power. This unprecedented agreement not only aligns with Microsoft’s sustainability goals but also contributes to the economic viability and operational revival of a significant historical reactor facility, symbolizing a unique convergence of tech infrastructure demands and nuclear revitalization.
Meta (Facebook):
Meta has committed to a 20-year nuclear energy purchase agreement with Constellation Energy, sourcing clean nuclear electricity from the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois. Scheduled to begin in June 2027, this deal supports Meta’s aggressive sustainability commitments, significantly reducing its carbon footprint while ensuring reliable power for its large-scale AI-driven data centers. Furthermore, the initiative intends to sustain approximately 1,100 local jobs and contribute roughly US$13.5 million annually in regional tax revenue, underscoring nuclear energy’s multifaceted benefits to both corporate sustainability and local economic development.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes, and/or software. 3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, evaluating, and revising 3D printed prototypes are typically eligible expenses toward the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software can also be an eligible R&D expense. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.
Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit-eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion: A Nuclear Renaissance Powered by Innovation
Federal policy, private-sector demand, and advanced manufacturing are aligning in unprecedented ways. The executive orders signed in 2025 set the stage for a new era of nuclear energy—streamlined, supported, and strategically positioned to meet America’s energy, security, and technological goals.
Additive manufacturing stands as the technological bridge linking vision with reality. Its ability to shorten production timelines, cut costs, and fabricate complex components will be critical to deploying next-generation reactors swiftly and safely. With government incentives and corporate momentum accelerating, the U.S. is poised for a nuclear renaissance—one built, quite literally, layer by layer.
