From: The Honest Broker - Substack

By: Roger Pielke Jr.

Date: June 19, 2026

Can America Build Nuclear Again? Part 3

Federal policy options for a nuclear forward agenda

 

Part 1 of this THB series argued via a cross-national comparison that nuclear cost escalation does not follow inevitably from the technology. Part 2 argued that U.S. cost escalation traces to federal policy choices that had both intended and unintended consequences.

This post reviews options from nuclear policy experts consistent with those posts — drawn from academic research, government reports, and policy organizations. Source citations accompany each option. The literature on nuclear energy policy is vast, and this review is far from comprehensive. Let me know in the comments what good stuff I’ve missed and you would recommend to add constructively to the conversation. Honest brokering is a group activity!

Political Landscape

Currently, nuclear energy is enjoying favorable bipartisan policy tailwinds — a rarity in 2026. For example, in 2024, the ADVANCE Act (Pub. L. 118-67) passed the Senate 88–2 and the House 393–13. Executive Order 14300 (May 2025) directed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to accelerate licensing and reform risk-based regulation. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have signed nuclear power purchase agreements. The American Nuclear Society has documented 350+ nuclear bills introduced and 60+ enacted across 45 states in 2025. (continue reading)

 

Can America Build Nuclear Again? Part 3