When trying to develop a new nuclear power plant in the United States, it can take years to obtain the permits needed to begin construction. States like Wisconsin are taking action to speed up the permitting process, and there is political will at the federal level to slash red tape. However, implementing artificial intelligence may help make nuclear permitting faster, even with existing bureaucratic hurdles. 

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has teamed up with Microsoft to examine the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in speeding up the time it takes to compile all the documents a nuclear developer needs to obtain permits. The partnership will examine the possibility of using Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing program to assemble the complex applications required by licensing entities. 

“This is a big deal for the nuclear licensing process,” stated Jess Gehin, associate laboratory director for nuclear science and technology at INL. “Introducing AI technologies will enhance efficiency and accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.”

Microsoft and INL will test the Azure program to see how it handles ingesting nuclear engineering and safety documents. Once it has read these documents, Azure will convert the information into the documentation that the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission need to approve nuclear licenses. Converting existing information into the format required for license applications can be expensive and time-consuming; AI could automate the process. 

“Artificial intelligence technologies can enable a new frontier of innovation and advancement by automating routine processes, accelerating development, and freeing scientists and researchers to focus on the real, complex challenges affecting our society,” explained Heidi Kobylski, vice president for federal civilian agencies at Microsoft. “We are honored to collaborate with INL to help address the complicated process of nuclear licensing to potentially help speed the approval of nuclear reactors necessary to support our increasing energy demands.”

The use of this AI technology could be especially helpful as interest in developing advanced nuclear reactors grows. These reactors may differ from conventional reactors in many ways, including coolant type, materials, and size. Advanced reactors may require different documentation for the licensure process, and AI automation can keep those requirements from being overly burdensome. 

>> Permitting Must Be a Priority for the Future of American Energy

In helping simplify the nuclear licensure process, this use of AI may help achieve goals set by the Trump administration. In May, President Trump issued executive orders that aim to boost domestic nuclear production by accelerating the permitting process. AI could also help the Nuclear Regulatory Commission achieve the goals set by the passage of the ADVANCE Act of 2024, legislation aimed at making nuclear licensure more efficient while maintaining safety guardrails. 

Would it be better to slash red tape and streamline the permitting process? Absolutely, and policymakers should pursue avenues to reduce costly, ineffective regulations that inflate the time and cost to build new power plants. However, while policymakers slowly start to take action to remove the hurdles that nuclear developers face, the use of AI in speeding up the application process could be a great stopgap measure. And, even after bureaucratic hurdles are reduced, AI can still make writing applications easier for the nuclear developers seeking government approval for new projects. 

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.