A surge in electricity demand from AI data centers is driving a revival of nuclear energy in the United States. Tech giants Microsoft and Alphabet are securing nuclear power through multi-decade purchase agreements. The Trump administration pledged over $80 billion to support new reactor construction, aiming to expand U.S. nuclear capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050. Small modular reactors (SMRs) have become a focal point for investment from tech giants and Wall Street. However, the industry faces structural challenges including regulatory approvals, fuel supply, and construction execution. Industry consensus holds that SMRs are unlikely to achieve large-scale grid integration before the early 2030s. According to the Electric Power Research Institute, data centers’ share of American Electric Power consumption could rise from approximately 5% today to 17% by 2030. Nuclear power is one of the few energy sources capable of delivering continuous, zero-carbon electricity. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that in 2025, 59% of American adults support expanding nuclear power use, up from 43% a decade earlier.