The Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewed the operating license for H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant Unit 2 for a second time, completing the review faster than any license renewal in the agency's history and finishing the first renewal conducted under new federal review timelines.
Nuclear generation is projected to hold an 18 percent share of United States electricity output in 2026, matching the 2025 level. The fleet currently comprises 94 operating reactors producing roughly 100 gigawatts of capacity. Federal executive orders set a target of quadrupling that base to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
Deployment activity has picked up alongside the licensing changes. The Department of Energy made awards under its Generation III Plus Small Modular Reactor program to the Tennessee Valley Authority, supporting deployment of the GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 in Tennessee, and to Holtec for the SMR-300 in Michigan.
The Department of Energy also established a fast-track pilot allowing selected advanced reactor designs to reach criticality at non-federal sites, with the first eligibility date set at July 4, 2026. The pathway bypasses portions of the conventional NRC licensing sequence for initial testing, and the design of the program has drawn attention from both developers and state regulators.
Utilities have moved on the existing fleet as well. Vistra received approval to extend operation of the Perry nuclear plant through 2046.
Source: American Nuclear Society - https://www.ans.org/news/2026-07-16/article-8210/nuclear-is-ready-now/