DOE Announces $17.5 Billion Conditional Loan Commitment for AP1000 Reactor Builds
In a massive federal policy and financing move, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (formerly the Loan Programs Office) has issued a $17.5 billion conditional loan commitment to rebuild the domestic commercial nuclear supply chain.
The program, dubbed the American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans, is designed to help finance up to five projects to construct a total of 10 new Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, with construction targeted to begin by 2030.
Accelerating Large Reactor Deployment
The initiative builds directly on President Trump’s May 2025 Executive Order 14302 ("Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base"), which directed the DOE to prioritize working with the nuclear industry to have 10 new large reactors under construction by 2030.
The bulk equipment purchase order structure enabled by these loans will allow Westinghouse to secure long-lead-time items for the AP1000 units. The DOE expects this financing mechanism to accelerate project deployment timelines by up to three years while driving down overall costs through supply chain efficiencies.
According to the DOE:
"Westinghouse has signed letters of intent with seven potential partners with identified sites." — Department of Energy, June 23, 2026
While the specific utilities and sites (each planned to host two reactors) have not yet been publicly disclosed, the program marks a significant shift toward utility-scale nuclear expansion backed by substantial federal credit. The loans remain conditional upon Westinghouse and its utility partners satisfying technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before funds are disbursed.