As America’s energy demands grow exponentially, the country won’t be able to keep up without more nuclear power. It’s also flirting with relaxing radiation standards and eliminating some over-the-top security requirements at nuclear plants. That has forced operators to incorporate concrete shields into their reactor designs, which raise costs and limit how long employees can work at a given time. The science underpinning the radiation rule is mushy, at best. Meanwhile, coal plants are subject to no standards on radiation, even though they release far greater levels of radioactive material to the public than nuclear plants.

Source: Washington Post February 20, 2026 14:03 UTC