Despite the Shoreham and Rancho Seco shutdowns and very slow progress in radioactive waste disposal, there are signs that a more positive atmosphere for nuclear power development is on the horizon. Concerns about acid rain and the possible consequences of burning fossil fuels on the “greenhouse” effect have spurred national legislative action to provide money for improved nuclear reactor technology. A U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Reorganization Act to replace the NRC with the new Nuclear Safety Administration has been introduced. New legislation concerning the uranium enrichment industry has also been introduced to clarify existing industry costs and stimulate the domestic mining industry. Several drafts of the Nuclear Standardization Reform Act are being considered for introduction. Antinuclear power initiatives in Oregon, Massachusetts, and Maine have failed to shut down nuclear power plants. Finally, NRC has taken a strong step toward assuring the ability to license nuclear power plants more easily by instituting features of one-step licensing through changes to 10CFR52. The nuclear utility industry has taken a number of steps to improve current nuclear power systems through the “drive for excellence” in operation and substantial research and development to enhance safety reliability and availability. A major program has been undertaken to develop an advanced light water reactor for deployment as the next increment of nuclear power generating capacity in the United States. Other programs are actively pursuing the completion of conceptual designs of the liquid-metal reactor and the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. If the initiatives undertaken by Congress and the industry are supported, nuclear power will be the ultimate component of an electrified “nonsmoking” energy system, providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy in the twenty-first century.