The Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), the Interior Department office charged with overseeing development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, announced on Wednesday that it has entered an agreement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to coordinate oversight of possible offshore nuclear energy projects. The announcement frames the step as part of the administration's agenda to broaden domestic energy production and accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
The agencies said they would work together to respond to industry requests, but they also stressed that there are no commercial projects currently planned. The MMA did not specify potential locations for any such plants.
President Donald Trump has set a policy goal to quadruple U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050, citing rising power demands tied to the expansion of data centers as a motivating factor for boosting capacity. In the MMA statement, Acting Director Matt Giacona pointed to naval experience with submerged reactor systems, saying, "Submerged reactor systems have been safely deployed in naval applications for decades, demonstrating their potential as a reliable source of energy in demanding marine environments."
The announcement is the latest in a series of Interior Department actions aimed at opening federal waters to more industrial uses. Alongside the coordination with the NRC, the department has in recent weeks proposed leasing 31 million acres off the coast of American Samoa for seabed mining and said it was considering the Outer Continental Shelf for space launch and re-entry infrastructure. At the same time, the department has sought to block development of offshore wind projects, citing national security concerns.
When asked whether the agencies would take national security implications of offshore nuclear facilities into account, the administration did not immediately provide a response. The Interior Department has previously pointed to national security issues - including radar interference - as a principal reason for delaying the nascent offshore wind sector.
Environmental groups reacted negatively to the announcement. The Center for Biological Diversity said the plan would harm U.S. oceans. Nick Katkevich, an oceans campaigner at the group, said in a statement, "The Trump administration seems to have a never-ending store of terrible ideas for mistreating ocean life, and nuclear reactors on rusty old oil platforms is one of its worst."
Officials emphasized the coordination agreement with the NRC is intended to set a framework for oversight should industry request consideration of offshore nuclear concepts, but made clear that the step does not reflect existing commercial developments or approved construction plans.