Where states stand on nuclear
Published: January 12, 2026, 2:19 PM
Source: Nuclear News
Author: Kristy Hartman
TL;DR
• State support for nuclear energy reached an all-time high in 2025, with 45 states engaged in nuclear policymaking, passing over 60 measures from more than 350 introduced bills • States are moving beyond policy signaling to execution, providing financial incentives, removing prohibitions, and directing utilities to pursue gigawatt-scale nuclear deployment • Multiple states repealed nuclear moratoriums, launched feasibility studies, and established task forces, while governors in 11 states highlighted nuclear energy in their State of the State addresses
Nuclear energy is entering a new era—and policymakers are driving that shift. Governors, energy advisors, legislators, and regulators play a critical role in shaping state policies and regulations that can support the existing nuclear fleet and can accelerate the development, demonstration, and commercial deployment of next-generation nuclear energy.
Support at the state level for nuclear is at an all-time high, with 45 states engaged in 2025 in nuclear policymaking, and state legislatures in particular introducing more than 350 bills and enacting more than 60 measures in the past 12 months alone. Governors in 11 states highlighted nuclear in their State of the State addresses, and public utility commissions nationwide are opening dockets to evaluate deployment pathways, update regulatory processes, and prepare for advanced reactor projects.
This surge of activity signals a turning point: States now recognize nuclear as essential to meeting rising electricity demand, maintaining reliability, and achieving deep decarbonization. As a carbon-free resource that delivers around-the-clock electricity in all weather conditions, nuclear provides reliability that complements and strengthens state clean-energy goals. It has served as the largest, most reliable form of clean energy in the U.S. for decades.
It is scalable, doesn't compromise grid stability or affordability, provides hundreds of high-skilled jobs, and generates substantial local tax revenue. These unique attributes make nuclear energy a foundational resource for states.
States are no longer testing the waters—they're stepping in by providing financial incentives, removing prohibitions, classifying nuclear as clean energy, commissioning formal feasibility studies, launching task forces, and even directing utilities to pursue gigawatt-scale deployment. This record-breaking activity indicates a shift from years of policy signaling to an era of execution backed by bipartisan support.
The Nuclear Energy Institute represents the commercial nuclear technologies industry. Its mission is to ensure nuclear energy continues to grow as a reliable, affordable, carbon-free backbone of the U.S. electric grid. To that end, we at NEI track all state legislation, executive orders, regulatory proceedings, and other state conversations on behalf of our members—translating policy and discussions into clear, actional guidance for governors, legislators, and utility regulators. NEI serves as a trusted partner to state leaders, offering policy models, technical expertise, and regulatory pathways that help states move from interest to implementation. We work side by side with our members to help state leaders make informed decisions about nuclear's role in a state's energy mix. Here are some of the highlights from the past year.
States leading the way in 2025
These states took big strides in 2025 to signal support and clear pathways for nuclear development.
Indiana has proactively shown support for nuclear during the past several years, with Gov. Mike Braun and the state legislature adopting a variety of policies to attract new nuclear business to the state. The legislature passed multiple bills this session, creating a small modular reactor partnership pilot program, authorizing cost recovery for preconstruction expenses on new nuclear projects, and providing a 20 percent tax credit to support SMR manufacturing.
North Carolina enacted a bill that expands the state's Construction Work in Progress (CWIP), allowing a utility to collect financing costs for a project before construction is completed. This mechanism reduces the cost to finance a project and may lower the total project costs that eventually are included in the customer rate base.
Tennessee's state leaders, led by Gov. Bill Lee, have strongly backed nuclear energy as a centerpiece of their long-term energy and economic strategy. The 2025 budget earmarked $50 million to the Tennessee Valley Authority to assist in accelerating construction of SMRs and $10 million toward workforce development. Lee also formally designated the East Tennessee Economic Council's long-standing nuclear working group as the Tennessee Nuclear Network (TN²), a statewide official partnership for advancing nuclear innovation, workforce development, and economic opportunities.
Texas also had a big year, where the state legislature—which uniquely only meets every other year—authorized $350 million to support nuclear projects and established the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office to serve as a single point of contact for nuclear project developers navigating state and local permitting processes. Additional legislation supports permitting processes for uranium mining operations and creates an advanced nuclear energy workforce program.
Utah's legislative and executive branches continue to work in tandem. In 2025, the legislature established a nuclear energy consortium and state energy council to advise on development and used fuel, while Gov. Spencer Cox signed several new partnerships, including a regional energy compact with Idaho and Wyoming.
Virginia's public service commission approved up to $122 million in cost recovery for Appalachian Power to pursue site evaluation and SMR development. Additionally, the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium released its five-year strategic plan for 2025–2029, which aims to accelerate the deployment of SMRs, strengthen the nuclear workforce, expand the nuclear supply chain, and develop a research and education reactor facility through the Virginia Innovative Nuclear Hub.
Executive momentum
In these states, governors have signed executive orders, issued public statements, or announced projects that support feasibility studies or the deployment of new reactors.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order creating the Arizona Energy Promise Task Force, which is charged with studying, coordinating, and advancing key energy-related policies, including a focus on advanced nuclear generation.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed an executive order establishing the Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force. Since then, the state has published an Advanced Nuclear Strategic Framework and, most recently, has issued a request for information seeking industry input on site selection factors to identify ways the state can attract nuclear energy investment.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced a partnership with the University of Massachusetts–Lowell to launch the Massachusetts Roadmap for Advanced Nuclear and Fusion Energy, which outlines a statewide strategy to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear and fusion technologies by touching on policy, infrastructure, workforce development, and public engagement.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) this past summer to develop and construct at least 1 GW of advanced nuclear capacity to support the state's grid. The state is also realizing the critical importance of its existing fleet. As part of an open docket before the public service commission, the Department of Public Service staff released a report calling for a 20-year extension of New York's zero-emission credit program.
Utah Gov. Cox's Operation Gigawatt, launched in 2024 with the goal of doubling the state's power production over the next 10 years, continues to lead the state forward on nuclear. In late November, Utah announced a landmark partnership to build a combined nuclear manufacturing, training, and reactor deployment hub in Brigham City.
Moratorium movement
Some states historically have had specific restrictions on the books about the construction of new nuclear power facilities. Momentum to remove these outdated prohibitions has grown in recent years, with Kentucky, Montana, West Virginia, and Wisconsin repealing their moratoriums. That momentum continued in 2025 with several more states removing these bans to make way for additional opportunities for nuclear.
Connecticut repealed its moratorium on nuclear, allowing municipalities to opt in to hosting advanced nuclear through a local vote.
Illinois repealed its 300-MW reactor size limit on new reactors.
Rhode Island is allowing utilities to procure nuclear power and enter into long-term nuclear contracts. These actions serve as an exception to the state's moratorium against nuclear.
Grid aligned
These states are developing the regulatory, financial, and institutional infrastructure needed to support new nuclear deployment.
Arizona's corporation commission is actively holding workshops to educate stakeholders and the public on advanced nuclear. Additionally, Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Tucson Electric Power announced a partnership to explore new nuclear capacity in the state, including evaluating potential sites for new nuclear facilities, including SMRs and large reactors.
Kentucky has directed its public service commission to develop a siting process for new nuclear facilities, hold public hearings, and survey other states on regulatory qualifications and compensation. The state is planning a multiday conference in the coming year to discuss nuclear deployment with interested stakeholders.
New Jersey's board of public utilities issued a request for information on deploying new nuclear, and the legislature introduced a bill that establishes a state-backed incentive program to develop 1.2 GW of nuclear capacity.
Laying the groundwork
These states are evaluating where and how advanced reactors could be sited and deployed.
Studying: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin each have initiated feasibility studies, while Florida's public service commission completed its own technical and economic assessment last year. Nebraska is moving into the second phase of its statewide study, narrowing 16 potential communities down to three or four possible sites for new nuclear deployment.
Collaborating: Delaware and Hawaii established feasibility-focused task forces and working groups, while Maryland's public service commission convened a working group to examine the implementation of its nuclear procurement program.
Defining as clean: Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, and New Hampshire join other states in expanding the definition of clean energy to specifically include nuclear.
Multistate collaboration
National associations of state policymakers are showing more interest than ever before in nuclear energy. These organizations represent various state stakeholders that are dedicating funding and resources to enable state officials to explore policies to support nuclear and share best practices between states.
The Council of State Governments Midwestern Legislative Conference, which represents all three branches of government in 11 Midwest states and four Canadian provinces, passed a resolution in support of new nuclear development.
The National Association of State Energy Officials formed an 11-state collaborative to support first movers in new nuclear and accelerate advanced reactor projects by working with the private sector, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Congress. NASEO also issued a request for information to identify opportunities for states to collaborate and support the formation of an order book for new nuclear, which would help drive down costs associated with first-of-a-kind projects.
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners passed its first resolution in direct support of nuclear, enabling it and state regulators to weigh in with supportive language on a variety of nuclear-related topics.
The National Governors Association launched an initiative to explore ways to support nuclear development in states interested in nuclear energy policy. NGA has provided two-day, in-state nuclear convenings in six states and a regional New England partnership to explore nuclear's role in each state's energy planning.
The Western Governors' Association unveiled its 2025–2026 Chair Initiative, led by Utah Gov. Cox—a yearlong endeavor exploring nuclear and other energy opportunities in the West.
More state activity
In addition to Iowa's potential restart of Duane Arnold Energy Center, Pennsylvania is on track to reopen Crane Clean Energy Center (formally Three Mile Island-1) by 2027—a development supported by a 20-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft. Moreover, Palisades in Michigan has officially changed from decommissioning to operating status. State support and various state and local approvals are required to bring these plants back on line.
As states confront rising electricity demand driven by data centers, domestic manufacturing, and broad electrification efforts, nuclear energy has become a practical necessity. The bipartisan surge of support for nuclear power shows that states understand what's at stake: reliable, affordable, carbon-free energy that offers economic growth for states and communities for decades. It's clear that 2026 is shaping up to be another pivotal year for nuclear energy. State policymakers and regulators are laying the groundwork needed to turn broad conversations into actionable projects. States that commit to that path now will shape America's energy landscape for generations.
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Kristy Hartman is the senior director for state policy and external affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute. Camille Brady, NEI's program coordinator, contributed to this piece.
AI Analysis
This article demonstrates a remarkable shift in U.S. nuclear policy, with state governments leading a bipartisan renaissance in nuclear energy development. The comprehensive data showing 45 states engaged in nuclear policymaking and over 350 bills introduced in 2025 alone indicates that nuclear energy has moved from a contentious topic to a pragmatic solution for clean, reliable power. The trend of repealing nuclear moratoriums and establishing task forces suggests states are prioritizing energy security and decarbonization goals over historical concerns. The multi-state collaborations and federal partnerships described indicate this movement has significant momentum that will likely continue into 2026 and beyond. This represents one of the most significant policy shifts toward nuclear energy in decades, driven by practical needs rather than ideological positions.
