States Can Lead a New Atomic Age
Opportunity
Today presents a unique opportunity for states to step into the driver’s seat on nuclear policy:
A federal administration supportive of nuclear.
High demand for electricity is a certainty.
New users have significant resources and are eager to invest in energy sources that are reliable, clean, and available 24/7.
Idaho National Labs has 11 test reactors in an accelerator to be tested by July 4, 2026, which is a number of new designs unseen since the early days of American nuclear.
An ongoing lawsuit led by Texas, Utah, and several nuclear companies could give states new authority over small modular reactor development.
Despite this, most states are not yet prepared to seize the moment. The Overturn Prohibitions & Establish a Nuclear Coordinator (OPEN Act) model policy will prepare states to lead a new atomic age.
The OPEN Act lays the groundwork for states to permit and begin construction on new nuclear facilities within 180 days. It draws on the recent experience Utah, Texas, and other states have gained in laying guardrails and tracks for new nuclear development.
What the OPEN Act does
Ends nuclear bans and special hurdles.
Prevents new nuclear bans.
Creates a one-stop state-level lead and authority for nuclear development.
Sets fast, concurrent review expectations.
The OPEN Act advances a state’s interest in a reliable and affordable energy supply. It capitalizes on a moment that may never come again. Your entire state will benefit, and America will continue to lead the world:
Economic growth in artificial intelligence and manufacturing will be supercharged by safe, reliable nuclear power.
New growth will mean new jobs in the nuclear sector and in the attendant industries, powered by new reactors.
Boosted tax revenues will flow to local and state governments from the development of new energy infrastructure and 24/7 data centers.
Today’s conditions echo an era when America built nuclear power plants swiftly, safely, and cheaply. In 1968, Connecticut Yankee came online after roughly five years, and at a price tag of about $1 billion in today’s terms. Since then, the regulatory process has smothered new nuclear proposals, resulting in only a few new plants coming online. Those new plants were years behind schedule and cost billions of dollars in cost overruns.
We can realize a future of “too cheap to meter” with quick and definite action today.
Abundance Institute Resources
“A Lawless NRC Obstructs Safe Nuclear Power,” Wall Street Journal, Christopher Koopman and Eli Dourado, Jan. 5, 2025.
Josh T. Smith, House Oversight Committee testimony on nuclear policy and the role of states in building nuclear swiftly, safely, and cheaply.
Learn More
OPEN Act text (model policy for consideration at ALEC)