Microsoft and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have announced a strategic partnership to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to speed up the nuclear power permitting process in the United States. This collaboration aims to streamline the creation of engineering and safety analysis reports required for construction permits and operating licenses for nuclear power facilities.
How Microsoft and INL Are Using AI to Simplify Nuclear Licensing
The process of securing permits for new nuclear power plants is known for its complexity and length, often spanning several years. Microsoft’s AI systems, trained on a large collection of historical licensing applications, will now be used to automate the compilation of these technical documents.
Key Benefits of the AI Partnership:
- Faster Document Creation: AI will pull from existing studies and reports to generate complex applications that traditionally require hundreds of pages.
- Human Oversight: The AI-generated reports are designed for human refinement. Engineers and regulatory experts can review, edit, and enhance the AI-created sections as necessary.
- Efficiency Gains: By automating repetitive tasks, the permitting process could be cut down from several years to as little as 18 months, according to recent executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Nelli Babayan, AI Director for Federal Civilian Business at Microsoft, emphasised: “It’s created for human refinement, so a human can go through each of the sections and, specifically as needed, edit any of the sections, whether manually or with the help of AI, it is really up to the human.”
Why This Matters: AI and the Future of Nuclear Energy
With the rising demand for energy driven by AI data centres and other power-intensive technologies, expanding nuclear capacity has become a priority. In May, President Trump signed executive orders aimed at accelerating nuclear plant licensing timelines.
AI’s Role in Upgrading Existing Nuclear Plants
The partnership doesn’t only apply to new facilities. According to Scott Ferrara, Deputy Division Director for Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Research at INL, AI technology could also streamline license amendments for existing nuclear power plants seeking to increase their power output. “A plethora of data already exists from about 82 upgrades that have already taken place, and they can just pull right from that (data) and help generate their license amendment request,” Ferrara explained.
Benefits for the Energy Sector:
- Reduced paperwork and human labour in license preparation
- Faster regulatory approvals for new and upgraded nuclear plants
- Support for clean energy goals amid growing power needs
Microsoft and INL Leading the Way in AI-Powered Energy Solutions
By combining Microsoft’s AI expertise with INL’s deep knowledge of nuclear safety and regulatory processes, this partnership sets the stage for a faster, more efficient future in nuclear energy development.
