Next-generation nuclear reactors could get a boost from the National Defense Authorization Act
President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 Thursday with measures that further the bipartisan push for next-generation nuclear power plants.
The Trump administration has embraced the technology as a new energy source for data centers demanding greater amounts of electricity for AI. Many Democrats, meanwhile, have championed smaller and ostensibly cheaper and easier-to-build nuclear reactors as a carbon pollution-free energy source that can help fight climate change. The US military has also been interested in microreactors to power off-grid operations
The defense bill, which Congress passed e …