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Nuclear Energy Trends 2025: Legal and Regulatory Developments; Government-Backed Indemnity; Co-Location Considerations

A live 90-minute premium CLE video webinar with interactive Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Thursday, July 24, 2025

1:00pm-2:30pm EDT, 10:00am-11:30am PDT

Early Registration Discount Deadline, Friday, July 11, 2025

or call 1-800-926-7926
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This CLE webinar will examine opportunities and challenges in nuclear energy through the lens of the impact of recent executive orders and regulatory changes on the nuclear and data center industries. The expert panel will provide an in-depth look at the new policies, the potential legal and operational issues created for stakeholders, and the risks of compliance and noncompliance where the directives intersect with existing federal and state laws.

Description

Recent executive orders issued by the Trump administration aim to reduce regulatory burdens on the nuclear industry and promote investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and energy infrastructure. These orders, along with significant legal decisions and regulatory developments, are reshaping the landscape for nuclear projects and data centers.

The executive orders include directives to streamline government spending, promote American leadership in AI and energy, and establish the National Energy Dominance Council. Additionally, a joint venture named Stargate plans to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure, including data centers co-located with electric generation facilities.

In Cotter Corp. N.S.L. v. United States (Fed. Cir. Feb. 10, 2025), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit expanded government-backed indemnification under the Price-Anderson Act (PAA) for the nuclear fuel cycle, broadening the scope to include any person involved in DOE contracts. Additionally, recent legislative and regulatory changes aim to facilitate the deployment of new nuclear technologies like small modular reactors. However, significant regulatory barriers and uncertainties remain, particularly regarding the co-location of data centers with new generation facilities. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has not yet established clear regulatory pathways for co-location, leading to challenges in implementation.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is actively implementing these executive orders, with initiatives to modernize licensing for new nuclear technologies and lower fees. The DOE is also exploring ways to reuse brownfield sites for new nuclear projects, further promoting the development of nuclear energy.

Listen as our expert panel provides an in-depth look at the recent executive orders and regulatory changes impacting the nuclear and data center industries. The panel will examine the new policies, potential risks, and best practices for navigating this evolving regulatory landscape.

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Outline

  1. Overview of recent executive orders and regulatory changes
  2. Executive orders and industry investments
    1. Directives to reduce regulatory burdens and promote investments
    2. Joint venture investments in AI infrastructure and data centers
  3. Cotter Corp. N.S.L. v. United States
  4. Regulatory developments and DOE initiatives
    1. Legislative and regulatory changes to facilitate nuclear technology deployment
    2. DOE's role in implementing the executive orders
  5. Co-location of data centers and generation facilities
    1. Benefits and challenges of co-locating data centers with nuclear generation
    2. Regulatory barriers and FERC's role
  6. Impact on stakeholders
    1. Legal and operational issues
    2. Strategies for compliance and adaptation

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key considerations:

  • What are the executive orders and regulatory changes with the greatest impact on the nuclear industry?
  • What are the likely implications of the expanded scope of government-backed indemnification under the PAA?
  • What are the long-term implications of the new policies on the nuclear and data center industries?
  • What are best practices for guiding clients through the compliance challenges created by the new regulatory landscape?

Faculty

Hammond, M.C.
M.C. Hammond
Counsel
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman

Ms. Hammond has been practicing nuclear energy law for nearly 10 years at both Pillsbury and the Department of...  |  Read More

Additional faculty
to be announced.
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Early Discount (through 07/11/25)

You may pre-order a recording to listen at your convenience. Recordings are available 48 hours after the webinar. Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. All formats include course handouts.

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