The Nuclear Scaling Initiative (NSI) has received a $3.5m philanthropic commitment from the Bezos Earth Fund to accelerate the responsible deployment of nuclear energy in the US. The grant will directly support NSI’s effort to facilitate an orderbook. This is a strategic procurement model that aggregates demand by bringing together multiple buyers, such as utilities, tech companies, and regional governments, to commit to building the same proven reactor design. NSI’s current focus is to facilitate an orderbook for at least 10 new large reactors in the US.
NSI facilitates the orderbook by acting as a central coordinator to overcome the “innovation imbalance” where too many competing designs prevent any single one from reaching a cost-effective scale. NSI organises “buyers’ clubs” to create a pooled demand signal, giving manufacturers the confidence to invest in supply chains and long-term production. By concentrating momentum around a few mature, large-scale reactor designs, NSI aims to move projects from first-of-a-kind (FOAK) to nth-of-a-kind (NOAK) cost structures, which are significantly cheaper and more predictable.
The orderbook model allows for shared learning across multiple builds, reducing the delays and massive cost overruns that have historically plagued independent nuclear projects. With a full orderbook, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firms can use repeatable contracts rather than customising every deal, which accelerates delivery and lowers legal fees.
NSI says an orderbook is one of the solutions it has developed to help address the challenges that have constrained nuclear energy deployment. The basis of this approach is “a commitment to pursuing development pathways and technologies that champion safety, security, and non-proliferation”.
An orderbook that supports construction of repeatable, standardised designs can reduce risk, lower costs over time, and provide greater certainty for developers, suppliers, and public partners with US electricity demand projected to grow by at least 50% by 2050, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). By aggregating demand across multiple projects, the orderbook model enables shared learning, economies of scale and scope, and long-term supplier commitments that will lay the groundwork for fleet-scale deployment and a more predictable nuclear investment environment in the US.
NSI leadership has stated that their orderbook strategy is “directionally aligned” with the major strategic partnership between Westinghouse and the US government announced in late 2025. While NSI maintains a “broader mandate” that is not officially tethered to any single technology provider, its work to create a multi-buyer “orderbook” for at least 10 new U.S. reactors directly supports the commercial environment Westinghouse needs to execute its own multi-billion-dollar newbuild plans.
“The United States needs repeat nuclear energy builds, not one-off projects, to bolster energy security, improve grid reliability, and drive economic competitiveness,” said NSI Executive Director Steve Comello. “An orderbook can create the predictability needed to strengthen supply chains, grow a skilled workforce, and reduce the delays and cost overruns that have historically slowed progress. This approach can enable more efficient and responsible nuclear energy deployment. We’re grateful to the Bezos Earth Fund for this generous contribution, which will allow NSI to significantly expand our work in the US at a moment when responsible commercial nuclear energy deployment is critically needed.”
Tom Taylor, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, noted: “The United States has a rare opportunity to turn rising energy demand into an advantage. Expanding nuclear power can deliver energy abundance – clean, reliable, around-the-clock electricity that supports prosperity and good jobs – while also helping meet climate goals in a small land footprint. Our support for NSI is a targeted bet that smart coordination can unlock much larger public and private investment and turn this first reactor package into a model for many more.”
NSI, launched in late 2024 is a collaborative project between the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), the EFI Foundation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) aimed at building a new global ecosystem to scale nuclear energy deployment. Launched in late 2024, the initiative’s primary goal is to increase the rate of reactor deployment tenfold to 50 GWe or more annually by the 2030s.
CATF was co-founded in 1996 by Armond Cohen, who has served as its Executive Director since its inception. The original team consisted of six or seven lawyers, scientists, and advocates who met around a coffee table in Boston to tackle power plant pollution. It has now expanded with more than 100 specialists focusing on several disciplines with an international focus.
The EFI Foundation (EFIF) is a Washington DC-based nonprofit think tank founded in 2017by Ernest J Moniz, the 13th US Secretary of Energy. The organisation serves as a bridge between technical research and real-world policy, focusing on practical ways to accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is a Washington DC-based nonprofit, nonpartisan global security organisation founded in 2001 by former Senator Sam Nunn and philanthropist Ted Turner. Its primary mission is to reduce global risks from nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats.
CAFT, EFIF and NTI were co-operating on other projects before the establishment of NSI. Representatives of the three organisations met with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) in September 2023, to discuss progress on the shared goal of promoting the responsible, sustainable, and effective expansion of nuclear energy.
The Bezos Earth Fund is a $10bn philanthropic commitment launched by Jeff Bezos in 2020 to address climate change and nature protection within this “decisive decade”. The fund aims to fully disburse its $10bn by 2030, partnering with scientists, NGOs, and the private sector to remove barriers to high-impact climate solutions.
Jeff Bezos is best known as the founder of Amazon, which he started in his garage in 1994. He is one of the three wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth estimated between $250-266bn.
As Amazon Executive Chairman his main focus currently is on artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives and on his aerospace company, Blue Origin. In early 2026, the company announced TeraWave, a massive 5,400-satellite network designed to provide high-speed internet to governments and data centres, directly competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
