在特拉华州，拥有逾60年历史的 Indian River 燃煤电厂，展示了核能与化石燃料联盟如何重塑能源政策。拜登时期原本计划以距岸约10英里、超过100座的海上风机取代燃煤，但行动人士大卫·史蒂文森推动改为兴建一座300兆瓦的小型模组化反应炉，并主张在漫长的SMR建置期间重新启动燃煤机组，而特拉华州用电量约为本州自产电力的100倍。

从历史看，核能从未达成在2000年前供应美国70%电力的早期承诺，实际在1980年代末仅约占电网20%，2000年后关闭约12座反应炉、仅新建3座。同期风电与太阳能自1999年不到1%的占比成长到今日约16%，2010年至2017年间综合发电量增加逾三倍，但预估其2050年占比已从64%下修到39%。

自宣布国家能源紧急状态以来，川普总统已取消约220亿美元的绿能计划，冻结6.79亿美元离岸风电基础设施资金，却投入6.25亿美元以复苏「清洁煤」，其中逾半数用于重启燃煤电厂。获选加速试点、目标在2026年7月启动先进反应炉的 Oklo 等核能新创股价几乎飙升五倍，而 Fermi America 以160亿美元市值上市、规画建置11吉瓦容量，同时风电巨头Ørsted股价与员工规模各下跌约25%。

In Delaware, a 60-year-old coal plant at Indian River illustrates how a new nuclear–fossil fuel alliance is reshaping energy policy. A Biden-era plan to replace it with more than 100 offshore wind turbines about 10 miles out was derailed as activist David Stevenson pushed instead for a 300-megawatt small modular reactor and even for reopening the coal units during the long SMR lead time, in a state that consumes roughly 100 times more electricity than it produces.

Historically, nuclear power never achieved its early promise of providing 70% of U.S. electricity by 2000, instead peaking at about 20% in the late 1980s, with a dozen reactors closed and only three opened since 2000. Over the same period, wind and solar grew from less than 1% of generation in 1999 to about 16% today, tripling combined output from 2010 to 2017, but forecasts for their 2050 share have dropped from 64% to 39% under newer policy assumptions.

Since declaring a national energy emergency, President Trump has canceled about $22 billion in green initiatives and frozen $679 million for offshore-wind-related infrastructure, while investing $625 million to revive “clean coal,” with more than half earmarked for recommissioning plants. Nuclear startups such as Oklo, selected for an accelerated reactor program targeting July 2026, have seen shares rise nearly fivefold, and Fermi America went public at a $16 billion valuation to build 11 gigawatts of capacity, even as wind giant Ørsted’s stock and workforce each fell around 25%.