As an energy veteran with decades at the Department of Energy, I’ve witnessed the highs and lows of nuclear power in America. Now, with President Trump back in office, there’s an opportunity to not just revisit but truly revolutionize our approach to nuclear energy, particularly by closing the nuclear fuel cycle. This isn’t about starting from scratch; it’s about completing a cycle that’s been left open, and Curio’s NuCycle technology is positioned to be the missing piece.

COMMENTARY

Closing the nuclear fuel cycle means recycling used nuclear fuel with the intention of extracting every last bit of energy and value from it. It’s about turning what we’ve long considered waste—currently about 90,000 metric tons of unused material—into a valuable national resource. This isn’t just good environmental stewardship; it’s smart economics and vital for national security. Currently, we’re planning to throw away 96% of the potential energy in our nuclear fuel, which is like burning down a forest after using only the twigs for firewood.

This approach is even more critical when we consider the skyrocketing demand for electricity driven by technological advancements. With AI data centers, electric vehicles, and the broader move towards electrification, our energy infrastructure faces unprecedented pressure. Nuclear power, with its capacity for reliable, high-density energy production, becomes not just an option but a necessity.

Edward McGinnis

NuCycle is not just another fuel recycling process. Our suite of technologies promises to dramatically reduce high-level radioactive waste while extracting valuable materials and then powering a next generation of proliferation-resistant and “walk-away safe” fast reactors. What’s crucial here is how NuCycle does this without the environmental and security headaches we’ve faced in the past. No nitric acid and no security trojan horses—just a cleaner, safer fuel and useable byproducts (Isotopes and precious metals).

Imagine this: President Trump’s administration could lead the charge in closing the fuel cycle, much like he aimed for energy independence in his first term.

Here are the ways NuCycle can help the U.S. recapture its position as a global nuclear leader:

Maximize Resource Utilization: By recycling, we expand our national uranium reserves, reducing the need for imports and enhancing our energy security, while establishing other vital isotope supply chains crucial for medical, industrial, and national security purposes.
Economic Boon: The extraction of precious isotopes and metals could stimulate a new industry, creating jobs and fostering innovation right here in the U.S.
Environmental Benefits: Less waste means less burden on future generations, aligning with broader environmental goals without compromising on energy production.
Global Leadership: By adopting and promoting this technology, the U.S. could lead the charge in nuclear innovation, influencing international policy and trade, and leap-frogging the US back into a global nuclear leadership role vice Russia and China.

As President Trump has made clear, affordable and reliable energy, including electricity, is key to America’s prosperity. With the dramatic increased demands being placed on electricity by the advent of AI data centers and overall electrification in virtually every facet of our daily lives, the nuclear energy sector’s role will be more vital than ever before, providing a 24/7 source of baseload electricity. But if we do not once and for all put in place a common-sense and economically viable way of dealing with our nuclear sector’s so-called waste, then it will continue to be a ball and chain, holding back the U.S. nuclear energy sector.

NuCycle is poised to deliberately and decisively build out a state-of-the-art nuclear energy sector fuel cycle that will serve as a key element of a dominant US energy sector. It’s about doing what’s been done in other countries but doing it better, more efficiently, and with a nod to modern environmental and security concerns.

This isn’t just about Curio or NuCycle; it’s about a vision where nuclear energy is not a controversial relic, but rather a cornerstone of sustainable, secure, and economically robust energy policy. President Trump has a unique opportunity by backing American technologies that speak for themselves through efficiency, innovation, safety, and economic viability. Moreover, the strategic deployment of such technologies could also serve as a catalyst for international partnerships, reinforcing America’s position not just in energy markets but in global security dialogues as well.

In essence, closing the fuel cycle with technologies like NuCycle represents a pragmatic, forward-thinking step. It’s about maximizing the value in what we have and using it to propel us into a future where nuclear power is not just accepted but celebrated as a clean, reliable energy source. This approach not only aligns with the immediate needs for energy but also positions the U.S. to lead in a world where energy demands continue to escalate in complexity and scale, ensuring that America remains at the forefront of technological and environmental innovation.

—Edward McGinnis is former Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy (Acting) at the U.S. Department of Energy and current president and CEO of Curio Energy, a company that is preparing to take approximately 90,000 tons of nuclear waste from U.S. storage and convert it into usable energy. McGinnis is an accomplished senior nuclear industry and U.S. government executive with more than 30 years of experience in nuclear technology innovation and commercialization, national and international nuclear energy policy and technical cooperation, national and international nuclear security and nonproliferation, science and technology policy and programs, and international relations and global energy policy and cooperation.