Senate bill seeks to bolster, advance American nuclear energy

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that seeks to further America’s leadership in nuclear energy.

The bill, the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023, would establish leadership in several ways. One, it would empower the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to lead in international forums to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors. It would also establish a joint Commerce Department and Energy Department initiative to facilitate outreach to nations seeking to develop advanced nuclear energy programs.

In addition, it would reduce regulatory costs for companies seeking to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies; create a prize to incentivize the successful deployment of next-generation nuclear reactor technologies; and require the NRC to develop a pathway to enable the timely licensing of nuclear facilities at brownfield sites. Also, it would modernize outdated rules that restrict international investment, extend a long-established indemnification policy to enable the continued operation of today’s reactors and give certainty for capital investments in building new reactors; and direct the NRC to establish an initiative to enhance preparedness to qualify and license advanced nuclear fuels.

“America can and should be a leader when it comes to deploying nuclear energy technologies, and this bipartisan legislation puts us on a path to achieve that goal,” U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), one of the bill’s sponsors, said. “This bill prioritizes the future of American energy security by establishing commonsense policies to help deploy nuclear energy, which is a clean and reliable generation source for our nation’s electric grid. It also directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to create a pathway for conventional energy source sites to be repurposed and used in the future. I’m proud to lead a strong, bipartisan group of senators in introducing the ADVANCE Act, which signals an important step toward strengthening America’s nuclear energy sector.”

Along with Capito, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the bill is sponsored by U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Jim Risch (R-ID).

“As our nation’s largest source of reliable, carbon-free electricity, nuclear energy is critical to meeting our climate goals and maintaining our energy security,” Carper, chair of the EPW Committee, said. “The ADVANCE Act will help the United States remain a clean energy leader by providing the certainty needed to safely deploy the next generation of nuclear reactors and fuels. This bipartisan legislation will also ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has the tools and workforce to keep our current reactors safe and to efficiently review new nuclear technologies.”