The House Energy and Commerce Committee has announced that Chairman Brett Guthrie published an op-ed emphasizing the critical role of nuclear energy in meeting the increasing power demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The op-ed also highlights recent reforms in U.S. nuclear policy.
According to Guthrie, U.S. leadership in nuclear energy is crucial for national and energy security as AI-driven electricity demand grows. He cites competition from China, underscores the 24/7 reliability of nuclear power, and points to recent statutory reforms as tools to expedite advanced reactor deployment and enhance fuel-supply resilience. Guthrie frames nuclear energy as a clean, dispatchable power source capable of co-locating with factories and future data centers. He urges rapid expansion to mitigate reliability risks as older baseload plants retire and electricity loads increase.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis indicates that China will account for approximately half of global nuclear capacity additions by 2050 and is poised to surpass the United States in installed nuclear capacity by around 2030. This trend reflects China's fast build cycles and scale effects, while Small Modular Reactor (SMR) commercialization could alter timelines. The comparison underscores why U.S. policymakers are focusing on licensing efficiency, fuel security, and export competitiveness to maintain their share in a sector vital for reliable, low-carbon power.
The Department of Energy's (DOE) July 2025 reliability assessment warns that outage risk could increase "100 times" by 2030 if firm capacity retires without timely replacement amid rising load demands, including those from AI data centers. The report models potential annual outage hours jumping from single digits to over 800 hours under adverse conditions, reinforcing arguments for new dispatchable generation. Guthrie's op-ed similarly references estimates of approximately 250 gigawatts (GW) of needed dispatchable capacity to meet demand reliably.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing committee in the U.S. House, established on December 14, 1795. Its broad jurisdiction covers national energy policy, health, environment, consumer protection, and interstate and foreign commerce. It oversees agencies such as the DOE, Health and Human Services (HHS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The committee writes and oversees legislation shaping U.S. industrial competitiveness, grid reliability, and technology leadership—areas central to debates over nuclear deployment and AI-era power demand.
