The United States is pursuing an expansion of its nuclear power capacity through both new reactor construction and the recommissioning of previously shuttered facilities. In May 2025, President Trump released an executive order outlining plans to construct 10 new large reactors and increase power output at existing nuclear installations by 5 gigawatts before 2030.
Three major reactor restart projects are underway: the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, the Crane Clean Energy Centre at the Three Mile Island site in Pennsylvania, and the Duane Arnold facility in Iowa. These initiatives reflect a broader shift in public perception toward nuclear energy, which had declined following major incidents at Chornobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island.
The Palisades project has encountered substantial obstacles during its restart process. Holtec International, the facility’s current operator, discovered extensive equipment corrosion, supply chain disruptions, underground water leaks, and the need for valve replacements. The company’s lack of prior nuclear plant operating experience complicated the project, with initial two-year timelines proving inadequate. However, Holtec maintains a contractual deadline of March 2027 and plans to begin fuel loading in September.
The Constellation Energy project at Three Mile Island has proceeded more smoothly, partly because the reactor sustained no damage during its shutdown and the company brings established operational experience. Constellation anticipates resuming operations as soon as next year. The federal government is providing substantial funding to support these recommissioning efforts, though concerns have been raised about costs being transferred to taxpayers and about safety implications of restarting aging infrastructure with inexperienced operators.
Environmental groups have expressed concerns about repair decisions, particularly regarding corroded steam generators at Palisades. Meanwhile, some analysts question whether resources devoted to restarting 55-year-old plants might be better invested in new reactor construction. The varying complexity of different restart projects suggests that federal approval decisions may need to be evaluated case-by-case based on facility-specific assessments.
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