Trump Administration Secretly Relaxes Nuclear Safety to Fast-Track Reactors

The United States Department of Energy secretly overhauled nuclear safety, security, and environmental directives to accelerate the development of next-generation experimental reactors. These changes specifically target small modular reactors intended to power artificial intelligence data centers, with a goal of having at least three operational by July 4, 2026. The program is supported by public investment and private funding from tech companies including Google, Meta, and Amazon.

The revised rules, developed without public notice or comment, replace mandatory language with permissive terms. Directives to protect groundwater and sewers from contamination were changed from "must" to "should be avoided." The department also eliminated the "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" (ALARA) radiation exposure standard for workers and consolidated over 500 pages of security requirements into a 23-page document, removing detailed protocols for guard work-hours and firearms training.

While the department maintains that reducing unnecessary regulations increases innovation without jeopardizing safety, critics warn the move undermines public trust and increases accident risks. The shift moves oversight from the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission to internal department authorization, which some argue creates a conflict of interest. The department intends to post the directives publicly later this year.