US Offers States Deals to Host Nuclear Waste for New Reactors: Report

• The US administration is reportedly offering states incentives to host nuclear waste storage facilities in exchange for building new nuclear reactors.
• This move would mark a significant shift in Washington's approach to nuclear waste management, which has long hindered nuclear power growth.
• The Trump administration aims to quadruple US nuclear capacity by 2050, driven by rising electricity demand from AI and cryptocurrency data centers.
• The proposal seeks to overcome local resistance to nuclear waste storage, a problem that has stalled new reactor projects.
• The plan offers incentives like support for uranium enrichment and waste reprocessing, departing from the stalled Yucca Mountain project.

Why It Matters: The US is exploring new strategies to expand nuclear power by incentivizing states to host nuclear waste.