Fact Check Analysis: Draft Executive Orders Aim to Speed Construction of Nuclear Plants




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Introduction

The New York Times recently published an article highlighting draft executive orders from the Trump administration aimed at accelerating nuclear energy expansion in the United States. A key excerpt caught attention by stating that “87 percent of nuclear reactors installed worldwide since 2017 are based on Russian and Chinese designs.” A user flagged this article wanting to understand the implications for uranium sourcing — specifically, where the U.S. gets its uranium supply.

Historical Context

The U.S. was once a dominant force in nuclear energy development but has seen a stagnation in reactor construction in recent decades. Meanwhile, countries like Russia and China have rapidly expanded their nuclear technologies domestically and through international infrastructure deals. Amid rising electricity needs and climate concerns, there is renewed interest in nuclear energy as a stable, low-emission source — and with that comes scrutiny over safety, supply chains, and foreign dependence.

Fact-Check of Core Claims

Claim #1: “The United States has fallen behind China in expanding nuclear power.”

This claim is accurate. According to data from the World Nuclear Association, China has aggressively increased its nuclear fleet, adding over 30 reactors since 2010 and leading the world in new reactor construction. As of 2024, China operates 55 reactors with over 20 under construction. In comparison, the United States has around 94 operational reactors but has only added two in the last decade, with no other active builds underway.
Source:
World Nuclear Association – China
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Claim #2: “The goal is to quadruple nuclear capacity from about 100 GW to 400 GW by 2050.”

This is an ambitious projection and technically accurate in its numbers. The U.S. nuclear fleet provides just under 100 gigawatts (GW) of power. Increasing that to 400 GW would represent a massive expansion not seen in the country’s history. Context is essential here: such a scale-up would require overcoming regulatory, financial, and material hurdles — including domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, reactor design approval, and public acceptance.
Currently, even conservative estimates by the International Energy Agency do not project such a steep national increase without significant policy intervention.
Source:
International Energy Agency – Nuclear Power
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Claim #3: “87 percent of nuclear reactors installed worldwide since 2017 are based on Russian and Chinese designs.”

This claim is mostly accurate with important context. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Russia and China are leaders in nuclear technology exports. Between 2017 and 2024, projects such as Russia’s VVER designs and China’s Hualong One have been used in at least 20 of the 24 new international reactors constructed outside of North America and Europe — over 80% of the total. The figure of 87% cited is a slight exaggeration but within a close margin.
The article omits context: the dominance of Russian and Chinese designs reflects the absence of Western financing and active exports, not necessarily a decline in technological capability in the U.S.
Sources:
CSIS – U.S. Foreign Nuclear Comeback,
World Nuclear Association
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Claim #4: Where does the U.S. get its uranium supply?

The user’s question directs us to a critical yet unstated piece of the article: the origin of uranium fueling nuclear power in America. Currently, the U.S. imports over 90% of its commercial uranium. Major suppliers include Canada, Kazakhstan, and — up until recently — Russia. In 2023, about 27% of imported uranium came from Russia and its allies, heightening national security concerns amid geopolitical tensions.
In March 2024, legislation was introduced in Congress to ban Russian uranium imports entirely, a move strongly backed by the nuclear industry and Pentagon for energy security reasons.
Sources:
U.S. Energy Information Administration – Uranium Marketing,
Reuters – Russian Uranium Ban
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Conclusion

The article accurately reflects the Trump administration’s draft proposals regarding nuclear expansion and contextualizes it against global geothermal developments. However, it omits key context — such as the U.S.’s heavy reliance on foreign uranium and the fact that Chinese and Russian reactor dominance is a geopolitical outcome as much as a technological one. The claim about 87% of new reactors being foreign-based is mostly accurate but lacks explanatory depth. Overall, the report is factually grounded but would better serve readers with a more thorough treatment of uranium sourcing, which is foundational to the feasibility of expanding nuclear capacity.

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Original Article

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/climate/trump-draft-nuclear-executive-orders.html

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