Florida’s next frontier: Lawmakers weigh nuclear innovation to power a growing state

Josiah Neeley, a fellow at the R Street Institute, shared Loris’ optimism regarding recent state and federal changes that could revitalize nuclear energy.

“Through the Advance Act, some of the executive orders, and other actions that have been discussed, there has been a turnaround in the attitude of the federal government when it comes to nuclear power,” Neeley said. “We see this as a technology that needs to be advanced. To the extent that the federal government was a bottleneck, hopefully that will be changed.”

Neeley identified three main drivers behind the renewed interest: new small modular reactor designs that can be factory-built and scaled efficiently, increased demand for clean power from data centers, and a shift in federal policy to support innovative energy technologies.

He also advised on best practices Texas has implemented in its permitting process, including aligning state and federal policy proposals.