In late May, a surprise Memorial Day weekend announcement came from the Trump Administration – one that has huge implications for the future of energy in the United States. And our position here at Timmaron Group is that AI infrastructure will be the big winner. Many experts agree that the availability of sufficient energy is a critical need that could hold back AI as a major technological advancement in our country.

The data center infrastructure market is one measure of the AI boom. How big is it? In the U.S., it is forecast to be $137 billion in 2025 (source: Statista). And, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.45%, it will balloon to $212 billion by 2029. A major driver of that growth, of course, is the continuing adoption of AI in our economy.

Now for some background on the latest news. You may recall one of the initial actions that came from the new White House on January 20, 2025 was the declaration of a National Energy Emergency. Here’s an excerpt from it:

The energy and critical minerals identification, leasing, development, production, transportation, refining, and generation capacity of the United States are all far too inadequate to meet our Nation’s needs. We need a reliable, diversified, and affordable supply of energy to drive our Nation’s manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and defense industries, and to sustain the basics of modern life and military preparedness…. An affordable and reliable domestic supply of energy is a fundamental requirement for the national and economic security of any nation.

Fast forward now to May 23, 2025, when there was a significant follow-on to that National Energy Emergency announcement: a Presidential Executive Order “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

This is where things get interesting! Because many observers have been pointing out, for some time, that nuclear can make the biggest difference in whether the data center industry, with the attendant infrastructure needed for AI, can help us keep up with the rest of the world. And the current administration says NRC has been woefully inadequate in getting new nuclear reactors approved and operating, or getting shuttered ones back online.

An excerpt from the Executive Order:

Abundant energy is a vital national- and economic-security interest. In conjunction with domestic fossil fuel production, nuclear energy can liberate America from dependence on geopolitical rivals. It can power not only traditional manufacturing industries but also cutting-edge, energy-intensive industries such as artificial intelligence (our emphasis) and quantum computing.

It is the policy of the United States to:
(a) Reestablish the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy;
(b) Facilitate increased deployment of new nuclear reactor technologies, such as Generation III+ and IV reactors, modular reactors, and microreactors, including by lowering regulatory and cost barriers to entry;
(c) Facilitate the expansion of American nuclear energy capacity from approximately 100 GW in 2024 to 400 GW by 2050;
(d) Employ emerging technologies to safely accelerate the modeling, simulation, testing, and approval of new reactor designs;
(e) Support the continued operation of, and facilitate appropriate operational extensions for, the current nuclear fleet, as well as the reactivation of prematurely shuttered or partially completed nuclear facilities; and
(f) Maintain the United States’ leading reputation for nuclear safety.

Also on May 23, the White House published a Fact Sheet entitled, “President Donald J. Trump Deploys Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security.” On that day, the President signed an Executive Order “to rapidly deploy advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives, including powering artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure (our emphasis) and national security installations.”

Here’s how the Wall Street Journal covered the news:

‘It’s Time for Nuclear’ to Meet Growing U.S. Power Needs, Trump Declares: The administration expects nuclear reactors to be tested and deployed within the president’s term
On May 23, 2025, President Trump announced a major push to revitalize the U.S. nuclear power industry through executive orders designed to address rising electricity demands, particularly from Big Tech companies building advanced AI systems. (again, our emphasis) The initiative aims to quadruple nuclear power output over the next 25 years by overhauling the NRC, fast-tracking reactor licenses, boosting domestic fuel production, and expanding the use of federal lands for nuclear projects tailored for the military and data centers.

And AP News published this story:

Trump signs executive orders to boost nuclear power, speed up approvals
President Donald Trump signed executive orders Friday intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years… To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. energy secretary authority to approve some advanced reactor designs and projects, taking authority away from the independent safety agency that has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades… The order comes as demand for electricity surges amid a boom in energy-hungry data centers and artificial intelligence. Tech companies, venture capitalists, states and others are competing for electricity and straining the nation’s electric grid… “We’ve got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “What we do in the next five years related to electricity is going to determine the next 50″ years in the industry.

That AP story goes on to say:

The nation’s 94 nuclear reactors supply about 19% of U.S. electricity, compared to about 60% for fossil fuels and 21% for renewables, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration… Burgum and other speakers said the industry has stagnated and has been choked by overregulation. “Mark this day on your calendar. This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry,’’ said Burgum, who chairs Trump’s newly formed Energy Dominance Council… The orders also call for the Energy and Defense departments to assess the feasibility of restarting closed nuclear power plants and explore siting reactors on federal lands and military bases.

How Timmaron Group Will Be Involved

We wholeheartedly recognize the important role of nuclear energy in supporting AI infrastructure in the U.S. going forward. Our team has been very much involved in AI for years, working with a variety of clients, and we agree 100% that expansion of nuclear power is critical to the future of artificial intelligence.

Our CEO, Barbara Stinnett, is reviewing her federal agency contacts and developing a strategy for Timmaron’s involvement in this new nuclear initiative, and in support of the associated work our clients and partners are doing. She’s also actively expanding collaborations with her contacts at MIT and the University of Chicago, among other institutions, who are deeply involved. Logan Langer of our staff is heading up our strategy and building a team of engineers to work on this critical initiative for the AI market.

Reach out to learn more! Contact us at hi@timmarongroup.com.