Wright says nuclear, especially small modular reactors, will be central; administration targets SMRs 'critical' by July 4

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said nuclear power is central to the administration's plan to supply reliable, 24/7 electricity and singled out small modular reactors (SMRs) as a near-term focus.

Wright told an interviewer that "nuclear is gonna be a huge part of the solution in the long term going forward," adding that the administration is reopening some previously closed plants, expanding capacity at others and planning new construction. He described nuclear plants as providing power "whether the sun is shining, the wind is blowing 24/7," and said plants can last 80 to 100 years.

On small modular reactors, Wright said the administration is "doing everything we can to speed it up" and invoked an aggressive presidential goal: "this is America, and we're gonna have these new small modular reactors critical, meaning operating in their nuclear mode, by July 4, and we will achieve that." He repeated that "we will have multiple new small modular reactors critical running by July 4." The secretary characterized SMR designs as "very similar" to those that power U.S. Navy ships and said they vary in size and design depending on application.

Wright framed SMRs as both an element of domestic energy strategy and an export opportunity, saying they will be "a huge export market for us abroad." He said he planned to discuss SMRs in Davos. The interview did not include project-specific timelines, site names, permit statuses, or funding amounts; those details were not specified.