For the last few months, the nuclear startup has raised a large amount of money – well by $1 billion until now.
Data centers and their thirst for electricity have become one of the driving forces. But recent changes to federal nuclear safety policy could be another acceleration that helps clear the way for rapid reactor development and at potential costs to human health and the environment.
The Trump administration is quietly changing the way the Energy Department oversees the safety and security of nuclear power plants built on the property, according to a reports from NPR. About a third of the rulebook has been scrapped, and some sections have been revised. Previous requirements, including those aimed at limiting contamination of groundwater and the environment, are now advisory, and workers may be exposed to higher doses of radiation. Today’s plant security protocols are largely up to the company.
The new rules were developed without public comment or notice, according to NPR. They only apply to reactors built on DOE property; those built elsewhere are still subject to Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversight. Several startups are developing demonstration reactors on DOE property in hopes of meeting the Trump administration’s July 4, 2026 deadline.