The US needs to build a nuclear reactor as soon as feasible and to push ahead with development of advanced reactors and their licensing and siting, a senate committee heard.

Ted Garrish, who appeared before the senate committee on energy and natural resources as part of his nomination process to become the next Department of Energy assistant secretary for nuclear energy, said the country needs to deploy a new reactor whether it is large, small a small modular reactor or a microreactor.

The country has no commercial nuclear plants under construction. The last two plants it brought online were Vogtle-3 and Vogtle-4 in Georgia, in 2023 and 2024 respectively.