Catenaa, Tuesday, November 11, 2025- US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Monday that the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) will prioritize financing for nuclear power projects, marking a major policy shift toward reviving the nation’s atomic energy sector.
Speaking at the American Nuclear Society conference, Wright said the “biggest use” of the LPO’s hundreds of billions in financing aid will be to build and restart nuclear reactors. The office provides loan guarantees for projects that struggle to attract traditional bank funding.
“The largest share of those dollars will go to getting the first new plants built,” Wright said. The U.S. currently has no active commercial nuclear construction, though several facilities are seeking to reopen after permanent shutdowns. Plans are also underway for new large and small modular reactors.
Wright noted that surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence systems and data centers is drawing “billions in equity capital from very creditworthy providers.” That investment, he said, could be leveraged with LPO support at ratios of up to four-to-one through low-cost government loans.
The move signals a renewed federal commitment to nuclear energy after years of limited activity. During former President Donald Trump’s first term, the LPO funded only the Vogtle reactors in Georgia, the last US nuclear units completed.
Analysts say the decision could accelerate construction of next-generation reactors and help meet soaring power needs driven by AI and clean energy targets.
