The slowdown of nuclear power was led on the activist front by national environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Federation, as well as the Union of Concerned Scientists. Individuals like Jane Fonda and Ralph Nader also played a major role.

After the Three Mile Island Accident, Carter convened the Kemeny Commission which led to a substantial expansion of the complexity of complying with NRC's regulations, which in turn drove up costs and contributed greatly to the slowdown of nuclear power expansion.

The anti-nuclear drive was in many ways similar to the current anti-data center drive.