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Trump administration explores offshore nuclear power for AI-driven demand
Officials said no Outer Continental Shelf commercial deployments are planned or approved at this time, as the effort aims to expand nuclear as baseload power.
The Trump administration is studying the deployment of offshore nuclear power generation, with the Marine Minerals Administration and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission agreeing to coordinate on potential future developments, OilPrice reported. The agencies said submerged reactor systems have been safely used in naval applications for decades.
OilPrice noted that officials emphasized there is currently no commercial deployment planned or approved for the Outer Continental Shelf. The initiative is positioned as part of a broader push to increase the role of nuclear in the U.S. energy mix.
The report links the timing to rising electricity demand driven by Big Tech and the artificial intelligence boom. It also points to renewed interest in nuclear due to its zero-emissions operating profile and its ability to supply steady baseload power.
Citing Reuters, OilPrice said President Trump wants to increase U.S. nuclear capacity fourfold by 2050. The administration and regulators are coordinating even as the near-term offshore deployment remains unapproved.