Hurdles must be addressed to maintain the current nuclear push, Bechtel exec says

Bechtel chief operating officer and president Craig Albert recently wrote an opinion piece in The Hill outlining the importance of executing on the current nuclear push in the United States.

In light of President Donald Trump’s administration issuing four nuclear-related executive orders, a real push for nuclear energy is on the horizon due to growing energy demands and growing geopolitical risks, Albert said in his Aug. 16 opinion piece.

Albert said Bechtel has witnessed firsthand the recent rally for nuclear energy as the construction company contributed to engineering and construction of the two new reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia in 2023 and 2024.

However, Albert urged that the U.S. government, along with the nuclear industry, will have to work to address obstacles such as project costs, lack of a nuclear waste repository and workforce to keep the momentum of the push.

Nuclear project costs can be reduced once new reactors are online as it can lead to standardization within the market, Albert said. He added companies like Bechtel will be enabled to standardize engineering designs and deploy new construction methods to reduce costs and scheduling time. 

Additionally, Albert recommended that the government take on some of the financial risks for first-mover projects to support the expansion of nuclear deployment.

Along with the obstacles, modernizing licensing and regulation for new reactors was another hurdle to be addressed to further nuclear deployment, Albert said. Trump’s executive order, “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission” was a “welcome step in the right direction,” Albert said.

“There are no silver bullets in energy policy,” Albert said. “Solar, gas and emerging technologies will all be part of the equation. But failing to realize the full potential of nuclear energy’s promise would be a costly mistake, economically, environmentally and geopolitically.”

Reston, Va.-based Bechtel is a major player in the Department of Energy nuclear cleanup, nuclear weapon stockpile work and the commercial nuclear power sectors.