WASHINGTON, May 24: President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Friday to boost nuclear energy in the United States, including by rolling back regulatory processes on a still divisive technology.
"We're signing tremendous executive orders today that really will make us the real power in this industry," Trump told reporters as he penned the four orders in the Oval Office.
Trump's orders aim to speed up the building of new reactors and to boost domestic mining and enriching of uranium, with the United States relying on imports for most of the crucial fuel.
The US president said the focus would be on building smaller reactors, such as those required by tech and artificial intelligence companies that have huge energy needs.
The orders will also overhaul the US nuclear watchdog so that it pushes through decisions on building new reactors within 18 months, amid reports that the White House found the regulator too risk averse.
Trump denied that speeding up the regulation process could compromise nuclear safety.
"We're going to get it very fast and very safe," Trump said. "It's time for nuclear and we're going to do it very big."
The move comes with growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States, despite being expensive to build and still politically sensitive in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. "AFP
