The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative is led by the state co-chairs New York, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Wyoming, and the participating states Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia – committed to working with the private sector, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission to accelerate advanced nuclear projects and bring more power to the electric grid for reliability, sustainability, and economic growth. A cornerstone of the Initiative is forming public-private partnerships through the engagement of utilities; nuclear technology companies; hyperscalers; manufacturers and other major end-users; developers; investors; and educational institutions. Interested private-sector organizations should contact NASEO for more information.

NASEO and the participating states are also developing robust local stakeholder engagement and education activities to ensure safe and rapid development of advanced nuclear implementation. 

The 11 participating states and NASEO are committed to accelerating advanced nuclear projects by working with private-sector partners, DOE, and Congress to reduce financial and technology risks, promote market adoption policies, improve the domestic supply chain, streamline federal permitting, create coordinated procurement options, develop state-federal-private financing structures, and ensure the continued safety and reliability of nuclear power.

Following is high-level information about some of the nuclear-related actions underway in each of the 11 states, as well as the initial actions of NASEO’s Advanced Nuclear First Movers Initiative.

For more information, please reach out to Kelsey Jones (kjones@naseo.org).

NASEO Affiliate Partners

The Advanced Nuclear First Mover initiative includes robust private sector engagement. NASEO Affiliates are providing expert input and guidance to assist the States as they accelerate advanced nuclear development and delivery of more firm, clean power on the grid.

Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative
Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative Press Releases:
NASEO Publications: 

First Mover States

In April 2025, Governor Braun issued Executive Order 25-48, creating the Nuclear Indiana Coalition, an avenue for state agencies, including the Indiana Office of Energy Development, to explore deployment of advanced nuclear technologies in the state. The Indiana Office of Energy Development supported a Purdue University Study on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Technology and Its Impact for Indiana in November 2024, emphasizing the need for education resources, exploring state requirements and incentives, and utilizing existing supply chain resources.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions

In 2023, the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy led the state's Nuclear Energy Development Work Group and finalized a Report to the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission Pursuant to 2023RS SJR 79, assessing the value of nuclear in the state and potential barriers to future nuclear development. The Kentucky Nuclear Development Authority was established through SB 198, the first meeting was held in November 2024. The Office of Energy Policy in partnership with Shaping our Appalachian Region (SOAR) was awarded and received technical assistance from the national laboratories to explore nuclear supply chain and workforce development opportunities in eastern Kentucky. This project is also supported by the State Energy Program funding for advanced energy economic development in EKY. During the 2024 Regular session, Senate Joint Resolution 140 was adopted, directing the Public Service Commission to make “all staffing, organizational, and administrative preparations necessary to be ready to discharge its regulatory duties relating to applications for the siting and construction of nuclear energy facilities in the Commonwealth.” As a result Case Number 2025-00186 is accepting comments https://psc.ky.gov/Case/ViewCaseFilings/2025-00186.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions

In November 2024, Executive Order 166 was enacted requiring the Secretary of Environmental Quality to modernize and streamline the granting of energy permits, licenses, accreditations, and other instruments. Additionally, the Order requires that the Secretary develop and adopt procedures that support and advance innovative measures to resolve environmental hazards and prepare for nuclear energy expansion. In support of these goals, the Louisiana Advanced Nuclear Competitive Edge (LANCE) Strategic Framework was established in 2024. Authorized by the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), LANCE is a proactive initiative designed to position the state as a leader in advanced nuclear technologies, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs).

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions

Early in 2025 the Maryland General Assembly passed the Next Generation Energy Act. This legislation, later signed into law by the Governor, provides a procurement process through the Maryland Public Service Commission for the procurement of new advanced nuclear generation in the state. Regulations and procurement structure will be determined through a PSC working group and the first RFP would be released in 2027. In addition, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is tasked with studying potential cost-sharing agreements with states in the PJM Region to mitigate the risks of developing new nuclear as well as with evaluating opportunities for multistate procurement. Previously, in November 2022, MEA worked with X-Energy to release the Feasibility Assessment and Economic Evaluation: Repurposing a Coal Power Plant Site to Deploy an Advanced Small Modular Reactor Power Plant, which a feasibility study presenting a valid early business case supporting the siting of an advanced small modular reactors on a retiring coal site.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions

In January 2025, Governor Hochul directed the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), together with the Department of Public Service (DPS), to conduct a range of nuclear studies that will together form New York’s Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in New York, to be published before the end of 2026. The January announcement follows publication of NYSERDA’s Blueprint for Consideration of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies, which sets out the scope of the Master Plan process. This was followed in June 2025 by the Governor’s instruction to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop one or more advanced nuclear power plants totaling at least one gigawatt of generation, in coordination with the studies from the Master Plan. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions  
Under Governor Josh Shapiro’s leadership, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is actively engaging with nuclear developers, electric utilities, and energy intensive industries to continue to provide energy affordability, reliability, and resilience. Pennsylvania has become a top choice for industry and academic investments, to include: 
  • Constellation Energy signing a power purchase agreement with Microsoft to bring Three Mile Island unit 1 back online for decades to come, bringing jobs and boosting the local economy; 
  • Westinghouse investing in Southwestern Pennsylvania, making it the primary development location for its eVinci™ microreactor; 
  • Pennsylvania State University collaborating with Westinghouse to deploy a microreactor as part of their Forging a Renaissance of Nuclear Through Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Research (FRONTIER) initiative; and,
  • TEAM PA partnering with the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) to write an informational paper discussing Nuclear as a cornerstone to Pennsylvania’s all-of-the-above-energy approach to tackling increasing energy demand driven by data center development. 

Governor Shapiro has also put forward a comprehensive plan that would streamline project permitting, incentivize new energy generation, and reduce power demand through new investments in energy efficiency. The Governor’s Lightning Plan would further advance Commonwealth’s nuclear initiatives and strengthen our energy marketplace, ensuring Pennsylvania remains a national energy leader for years to come.

Coming Soon

As Utah’s lead agency for energy and critical mineral development, the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED) is driving Operation Gigawatt, Gov. Cox’s bold initiative to create a holistic energy ecosystem and double the state’s electrical generating capacity in the next decade. Since April, OED has signed several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with nuclear industry leaders focused on advancing nuclear research, accelerating the adoption of new technologies in the marketplace, supporting the deployment of small modular reactors and building the skilled workforce necessary for this next-generation energy resource. OED has also researched and published the series, Utah's Strategic Nuclear Energy Pathway, a collection of publications designed to guide state efforts in maximizing the benefits of nuclear energy and avoid unforeseen delays. Through Operation Gigawatt, Utah is positioning itself as a national leader in the country’s nuclear renaissance—expanding transmission, boosting generation and investing in innovation to secure a lasting legacy of energy abundance for future generations. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions

Virginia is advancing a coordinated strategy to support the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, pairing state funding, federal alignment, and stakeholder collaboration across public and private sectors.

In April 2023, the Virginia Department of Energy and GO Virginia Region One supported a small modular reactor (SMR) site feasibility study in the LENOWISCO region, identifying potential siting options in Southwest Virginia.

That year, the General Assembly also passed a bill creating the Virginia Power Innovation Fund (VPIF) and Virginia Power Innovation Program (VPIP) to support energy innovation, including advanced nuclear. The fund provides up to $3 million in grants for research, workforce development, and future SMR site planning.

In May 2025, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced $1.2 million in support for nuclear innovation and workforce readiness through these programs—reinforcing Virginia’s commitment to expanding its nuclear energy ecosystem through targeted investment and coordination. This funding will support:
  • The development of a Virginia Research & Education Reactor Facility (VA-RERF)—a proposed micro-scale research reactor for materials testing, workforce training, and simulation; and
  • The establishment of the Virginia Center for Nuclear Materials and Reliability (VA-CNMR) to study material degradation in environments relevant to Gen-IV reactors.

The Virginia Innovative Nuclear (VIN) Hub manages these efforts, coordinating applied research, academic partnerships, and federal engagement. The VIN Hub is led by Jeff Whitt, former president of Framatome U.S. Government Solutions, who brings technical and federal program expertise to the initiative.

In 2024, Virginia launched the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) in the Virginia Energy’s State Energy Office with $10 million in funding to mobilize public and private capital for clean energy projects, including SMRs and fusion. Since its establishment, the Bank has:
  • Funded a full-scale SMR control room simulator at George Mason University to support workforce training;
  • Provided support for the world’s first planned commercial fusion power plant, to be developed by Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Chesterfield County, which led to the world’s first fusion power deal as Google committed to buying 200 MW from CFS’s forthcoming plant.
  • Partnered with GO Virginia, Wise County, UVA Wise, and the Virginia Innovative Nuclear Hub (VIN Hub), and the LENOWISCO Planning District Commission and provided $100k in support for an initiative to prepare Southwest Virginia to apply for private investment and federal funding to bring advance nuclear to the region.

The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC) and the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority (VENCA) continue to convene stakeholders across industry, academia, and government to shape public policy and promote nuclear as a strategic energy asset.

Additionally, multiple SMR and microreactor deployment opportunities are being actively explored:
  • Dominion Energy and Amazon are evaluating SMR deployment at the North Anna site to support data center load;
  • Appalachian Power has announced plans for a small reactor in Campbell County;
  • Dominion Energy and the U.S. Navy are assessing the feasibility of a microreactor-powered microgrid at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and North Cheatham Annex. The project would serve both the base and surrounding communities, utilizing roughly 20 square miles of federally owned land.

Virginia’s initiatives mirror recent federal executive orders focused on small reactors, microreactors, HALEU fuel, and clean energy for AI and defense applications. Ongoing partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and the Navy position the state to compete for early federal siting and demonstration opportunities.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions
Coming Soon

The Wyoming Energy Authority produced the Nuclear Energy – Industrial Development Strategic Framework and Roadmap in 2023, intended to enable key stakeholders to accelerate nuclear projects and strategize the development of the nuclear energy industry in the state. Additionally, the Wyoming Energy Authority runs the Energy Matching Funds Program, intended to provide matching funds for private or federal funding for research, demonstration, pilot projects, or commercial deployment projects related to the state’s energy needs. In September of 2023, the Wyoming Energy Authority began a two-year contract with BWX Technologies (BWXT) to determine the feasibility of deploying small-scale reactors in the state.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions

Observer States

Building from Arizona’s foundation as a leading nuclear power producer, the Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency (OOR) continues to lay the groundwork for new and advanced nuclear generation in Arizona.  

Arizona is home to the Palo Verde Generating Station, the nation’s second-largest nuclear power facility and the largest in the Western United States. Operating for 40+ years, Palo Verde is a major pillar of regional grid reliability. As the only large nuclear plant in the world not located adjacent to a major natural body of water, Palo Verde’s pioneering use of reclaimed municipal wastewater highlights the resourcefulness and environmental stewardship that Arizona brings to the advanced nuclear frontier. Arizona is building on its legacy of desert-engineered innovation to position itself at the leading edge of advanced nuclear deployment. 

Under the Governor's Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce (established via Executive Order 2025-13), the state's Nuclear Working Group successfully wrapped up an initial analysis of the necessary policy and planning frameworks to enable future nuclear deployment. Through collaboration with a diverse cross-section of subject-matter experts and industry leaders, the Energy Promise Taskforce report contemplated existing policy and legal frameworks, project finance opportunities and best practices, and opportunities to maximize community benefits for de-risking and deploying the future of nuclear power in Arizona.   

Demonstrating the state's collaborative approach, OOR Director Maren Mahoney presented at the Arizona Corporation Commission's (ACC) spring nuclear workshop, which brought together key stakeholders to discuss pathways for expanding nuclear power in the state. 

Additionally, OOR is partnering with the Majority Leader in the Arizona State House of Representatives to develop an advanced nuclear energy educational workshop for state legislators scheduled for late 2026.  

Concurrently, Arizona's largest electric utilities - APS, SRP, and TEP - remain committed to exploring new nuclear generation and are proceeding with a joint preliminary nuclear siting study for potential new nuclear generation. The utilities anticipate completing this step in the process by the end of 2026. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

In June 2025, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act No. 25-173 (Senate Bill 4), modifying the state's decades-long moratorium to allow municipalities to "opt in" to hosting advanced nuclear facilities and directing the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the State Energy Office, to establish an Advanced Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Funding Program. The program is backed by up to $5 million in bond authorization to support grants or loans for site readiness activities. DEEP has held a series of public informational workshops (December 2025, February 2026, May 2026) covering reactor technologies, siting, safety, and fusion energy. In March 2026, Connecticut joined five other New England states in a joint statement committing to explore both preservation of existing nuclear generation and deployment of advanced nuclear capacity regionally. In May 2026, Connecticut passed Public Act 26-46, “An Act Concerning Advanced Nuclear Energy,” which requires the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development to study statewide demand for skilled labor across advanced nuclear technologies.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions:  

Home to the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s premier center for nuclear research, development, demonstration, and deployment, Idaho is building on its legacy as the birthplace of nuclear energy and is committed to ensuring the state remains at the forefront of advanced nuclear.
In September 2025, the Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) and the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance released the Idaho Advanced Nuclear Strategic Framework which outlines the state’s vision to become a global leader in advanced nuclear energy by promoting research, development, and deployment of innovative nuclear technologies. Shortly thereafter, Governor Brad Little established the Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force which focuses on fostering innovation, enhancing economic opportunities, and ensuring regulatory readiness to support the growth of the nuclear energy sector in Idaho. This task force builds on the legacy of the former Leadership in Nuclear Energy Commission, which played a foundational role in shaping Idaho’s nuclear policy landscape.
Idaho is also home to the Intermountain West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC), a federally designated Economic Development Agency Tech Hub focused on accelerating advanced reactor deployment, fuel cycle innovation, and workforce development across Idaho and Wyoming. INEC includes more than 45 regional partners.
In October 2025, OEMR issued a Request for Information to gather industry input on nuclear development incentives, infrastructure needs, and regulatory priorities. Idaho also participates in the NASEO–NARUC Advanced Nuclear States Collaborative and is a signatory to the Tri-State Nuclear Compact with Utah and Wyoming, aligning regional efforts to advance energy resilience and innovation.

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor’s Actions

Information coming soon. 

Information coming soon. 

In the 2026 legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature passed language requiring a comprehensive state study of nuclear energy's role in Minnesota's long-term energy future through the omnibus tax bill. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

Information coming soon. 

Information coming soon. 

In 2026, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), directed and funded by the Nebraska Legislature via LB 1014 (2022) and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, completed a multi-phase SMR siting feasibility study. The first phase, completed in August 2024, involved state screening and identified 16 candidate communities. Phase 2, completed and announced May 20, 2026, narrowed the list to four finalist communities based on 32 criteria spanning health/safety, ecological, socio-economic, engineering/cost, and water-availability factors. In May 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy granted $27.8 million toward pursuit of an NRC Early Site Permit for a Nebraska project.

In December 2025, NPPD joined the Omaha Public Power District, Lincoln Electric System, and Grand River Dam Authority to form the Great Plains New Nuclear Consortium, a multi-utility Memorandum of Understanding to jointly pursue feasibility studies, site evaluations, and technology assessments for 1,000–2,000 MW of new nuclear capacity, including SMRs, across the Southwest Power Pool footprint. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

In 2025, the New Hampshire Legislature passed House Bill 627, creating a framework for off-grid electricity providers and exempting them from public utility regulation provided they meet certain requirements. This bill was drafted with the aim of enabling the construction of small modular reactors to supply customers across a microgrid spanning multiple properties. On March 26, 2026, Governor Kelly Ayotte signed Executive Order 2026-01, directing the New Hampshire Department of Energy to develop a "nuclear roadmap" identifying a path toward integrating advanced nuclear generation into the state's energy mix and to identify and remove roadblocks to development. The Department opened Investigative Proceeding INV 2026-001 in response and has since held a multi-day public stakeholder event in June 2026. In March 2026, New Hampshire joined five other New England states in a joint statement committing to preserve the region's two operating nuclear plants (including New Hampshire's Seabrook Station) while exploring sites for next-generation reactors. In April 2026, Governor Ayotte sent a letter to the federal government expressing interest in a federal-state nuclear partnership. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

Information coming soon. 

In 2025, North Dakota passed House Bill 1025, directing the Legislative Management to establish an Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee tasked with studying the feasibility, siting, and deployment of advanced nuclear (including SMRs and microreactors). Also in 2025, the state passed Senate Bill 2159, which authorized the State Energy Research Center to pursue projects exploring aboveground storage, treatment, or disposal of high-level radioactive waste in the state, subject to Industrial Commission approval. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 
With one of the highest concentrations of nuclear generation, workforce talent, and industrial capability in the United States, South Carolina is working to ensure its nuclear ecosystem remains a central pillar of economic development, energy innovation, and national competitiveness. Home to three universities featuring nuclear research capabilities and the Savannah River National Laboratory, with its 75 year of experience in nuclear materials management, advanced fuels, and national security, South Carolina has created an ideal platform for full lifecycle R&D, demonstration projects, and early siting. 

In May 2025, the General Assembly passed the South Carolina Energy Security Act, which establishes clear statutory intent for the state to pursue a diverse mix of long-lead, clean generation resources, including nuclear. The Act directs the Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council to develop a statewide nuclear strategy focused on resilient generation, siting readiness, and coordination of state agencies. This mandate provides the policy foundation for strategic planning, investor confidence, and long-term industry growth.

South Carolina has taken meaningful steps to advance one of the most consequential nuclear projects in the United States. With the selection of Brookfield Asset Management to lead the completion of VC Summer Reactors 2 and 3, South Carolina is positioned to become the next state to deploy new generation assets. This effort reinforces the state’s long-standing role as a national anchor of nuclear deployment and signals a renewed commitment to expanding reliable baseload capacity. 

It’s easy to recognize the nuclear industry’s impact on South Carolina. However, with Westinghouse's Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility producing the nuclear fuel used to generate 10% of the electricity in the United States – nearly 60% of nuclear fuel consumed nationally – and boasting the nation's strongest cluster of nuclear workforce, South Carolina’s impact on the nuclear industry equally cannot be understated.

Regionally, South Carolina plays a central role in the Southeastern nuclear cluster that links Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The state participates in multi-state workforce, research, and manufacturing partnerships and is pursuing deeper coordination to align supply chain standards, provide advanced energy technology validation, and support advanced reactor deployment across the region. 

In 2025, Texas enacted House Bill 14, establishing the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office (TANEO) within the Office of the Governor to serve as the state's strategic leader in supporting the development and commercialization of the advanced nuclear energy industry. Additionally, TANEO serves as Texas’ nuclear permitting coordinator, providing   guidance and coordination for nuclear project developers through Texas' state-level regulatory processes. HB 14 also created the $350 million Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. TANEO opened applications for the Fund's two constituent programs, the Advanced Nuclear Construction Reimbursement Program and the Project Design and Supply Chain Reimbursement Program, in early 2026. Companion legislation, Senate Bill 1061, streamlined the permitting process for amendments to uranium mining boundaries. Active Texas projects include Dow and X-energy's four-unit Xe-100 SMR project at Dow's Seadrift facility and Fermi America's proposed four-AP1000 in Amarillo. Texas also houses three U.S. Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Programs. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

Directed by the Washington Legislature, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy published a report in 2025 cataloging state-level SMR site development policy options. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: 

In 2025, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed two bipartisan bills to advance nuclear energy innovation in Wisconsin.   

Senate Bill 125, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 12, enhances state knowledge of nuclear energy potential by requiring the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to conduct a nuclear power siting study to meet the state’s growing need for carbon-free energy. The study will include but is not limited to evaluating existing nuclear energy opportunities as part of the state’s energy portfolio and identifying sites for the development and demonstration of nuclear power and fusion. 

The Public Service Commission, which includes Wisconsin’s State Energy Office, has engaged the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics to conduct the nuclear power siting study, drawing on the vast expertise on nuclear energy at UW-Madison. The University has one of the nation’s few remaining teaching and research nuclear reactors and experience with fusion energy, including spinning companies out of research conducted at the university. Additional partnerships include staff at the Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest National Labs. Work on this study began in late 2025 and is planned to be completed by the start of 2027.  

In addition, Senate Bill 124, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 11, uplifts the state’s nuclear energy innovation by creating a Nuclear Power Summit Board to organize, promote, and host a Wisconsin nuclear power summit in the City of Madison to advance nuclear power and fusion energy technology and development and to showcase Wisconsin’s leadership and innovation in the nuclear industry. The summit is anticipated to coincide with the opening of a new College of Engineering Building at the UW-Madison. 

Relevant Recent Legislation and Governor's Actions: