The US nuclear energy industry is facing a critical period as it monitors how new leadership, evolving policy priorities and regulatory reforms will shape its trajectory in 2025, according to a report by US law firm Morgan Lewis.

The report said that with growing national and international interest in nuclear energy, this year may prove pivotal in determining the pace and direction of deployment, oversight and innovation.

The anticipated restart of the Palisades, Three Mile Island-1 and Duane Arnold nuclear facilities, along with subsequent licence renewals and power uprates, could significantly expand domestic capacity in the near-term, the report said.