President says four private advanced reactors went critical ahead of July 4 goal

President Trump opened a White House briefing saying the administration was "celebrating a historic milestone for civilian nuclear energy and the incredible renaissance of nuclear power in America." He told reporters that he had directed the secretary of energy to establish a pilot program for advanced reactors and that what was supposed to be three reactors by July 4 had become four privately funded reactors that had gone critical.

The president said, "These are the 1st new privately funded advanced reactors to turn on The United States in over 4 decades," and called the result the product of a "historic partnership" between innovative companies and the administration. Michael Kratios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, added that "the goal was ambitious" and noted the last such privately funded reactor to go critical was in 1974, underscoring the administration view of a rapid change in pace.

Company executives standing at the event also praised the executive orders and said the milestone unlocked investment. The White House framed the result as private-sector-led: an administration speaker said the four companies "did not get a government grant" and that private capital was flowing back into nuclear ventures. The briefing did not announce new legislation or regulatory changes; officials described this as the result of earlier executive actions and close coordination between agencies and laboratories.

The event featured multiple company representatives and federal officials who described near-term commercialization plans and broader industrial ambitions. The administration said the pilot program directed to the energy secretary was intended to accelerate demonstration and deployment, but no specific new funding amounts or regulatory waivers were detailed at the briefing.