President Donald Trump is set to finalize a new nuclear energy deal with the UK this week when he visits London for a state visit and banquet with King Charles III.
On Thursday, Trump will meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for bilateral meetings, and both will sign the final agreement, the Washington Examiner reported.
British government officials said that the agreement “will turbocharge the build-out of new nuclear power stations in both countries and clear the way for a major expansion of new nuclear projects in the UK.”
"This landmark UK-US nuclear partnership is not just about powering our homes, it’s about powering our economy, our communities, and our ambition. These major commitments set us well on course to a golden age of nuclear that will drive down household bills in the long run, while delivering thousands of good jobs in the short term,” Starmer said in a statement. “Together with the US, we’re building a golden age of nuclear that puts both countries at the forefront of global innovation and investment.”
Trump administration officials were also bullish on the impact of the new agreement on the U.S.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the administration is “ushering in a true nuclear renaissance — harnessing the power of commercial nuclear to meet rising energy demand and fuel the AI revolution.”
“Strengthened nuclear cooperation with the UK reinforces our unshakable commitment to technological leadership, global security and the responsible stewardship of nuclear power. This is how we unleash the full power of American Energy Dominance — with innovation, strength, and key geopolitical collaboration," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum added.
As part of the agreement, America’s X-Energy will partner with British energy supplier Centrica ining build 12 modular nuclear reactors in northern England to power a reported 1.5 million homes and add 2,500 jobs to the economy.
Why does the U.S. want to do this?
Simply put, it will reduce the UK's dependence on Russian oil, the sale of which in Europe is helping to keep the war in Ukraine going.
Trump has been increasing pressure on NATO allies in Europe to end their imports of Russian oil or add stiff new tariffs to those sales in order to sanction Russia for its aggression against Ukraine and for not coming to an agreement to end the war.
Sanctions like this could deprive Russia of the money it needs to keep fighting, or at least force its leaders to think harder about stopping.
In addition, countries will need a lot more electrical power to run the energy-sucking machines that power AI and blockchain. Nuclear power is free of emissions, and unless an accident or meltdown occurs, it produces very little waste.
It will be Trump's second state visit to the UK since taking office.
