[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9710 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9710
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support a program to advance
the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of
small modular reactors and micro-reactors in order to accelerate the
availability of United States-based technologies, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2024
Mr. Strong (for himself, Ms. Ross, and Mr. Aderholt) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support a program to advance
the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of
small modular reactors and micro-reactors in order to accelerate the
availability of United States-based technologies, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Small Modular Reactor Demonstration
Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. SMALL MODULAR REACTOR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 959D. SMALL MODULAR REACTOR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Advanced nuclear reactor.--The term `advanced nuclear
reactor' has the meaning given such term in section 951 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271).
``(2) Demonstration project.--The term `demonstration
project' means a small modular reactor or micro-reactor when
operated as part of the power generation facilities of an
electric utility system, or when operated in any other manner
for the purpose of demonstrating the suitability for commercial
application of such a reactor.
``(3) Micro-reactor.--The term `micro-reactor' means an
advanced nuclear reactor that has an electric power production
capacity that is not greater than 50 electrical megawatts.
``(4) Small modular reactor.--The term `small modular
reactor' means an advanced nuclear reactor with a rated
capacity that is not greater than 700 electrical megawatts per
unit.
``(b) Program.--In collaboration with industry partners, owners and
operators of electric utilities, institutions of higher education, and
the national laboratories, the Secretary shall support a program to
advance the research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application of small modular reactors and micro-reactors in order to
accelerate the availability of United States-based technologies into
domestic and international markets by carrying out the following:
``(1) Demonstrating a variety of small modular reactor and
micro-reactor technologies, including those that could--
``(A) be used for power generation, processing
steam or heat production, desalination, or other
industrial and chemical uses;
``(B) be sited at locations not practicable for
other new energy generation technologies as of the date
of the enactment of this section;
``(C) offer distinct safeguards, security, or
nonproliferation advantages;
``(D) use light water or non-light water coolants,
such as gas, liquid metals, or molten salts;
``(E) supply remote or off-grid energy;
``(F) supply backup or mission-critical power
supplies; or
``(G) supply power for data centers.
``(2) In coordination and furtherance of the Advanced
Nuclear Energy Cost-Share Grant Program established pursuant to
section 3 of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act of
2017 (42 U.S.C. 16280), accelerating certification, licensing,
and siting of domestic small modular reactor and micro-reactor
designs through competitive awards to support design,
licensing, supplier development, and site preparation of
designs that can be deployed by not later than September 30,
2034.
``(3) Reducing economic, technical, and regulatory barriers
to deployment.
``(4) Identifying and resolving research, development, and
demonstration areas that the private sector is unable or
unwilling to undertake due to the cost of, or risks associated
with, any of such areas.
``(5) Supporting small modular reactor and micro-reactor
safety, training, and workforce development at institutions of
higher education, including community colleges and trade
schools.
``(6) Facilitating the access of the private sector to the
following:
``(A) Federal research and development facilities
and personnel.
``(B) National Laboratories.
``(C) The results of research and development
relating to civil nuclear technology funded by the
Federal Government.
``(c) Demonstration Projects.--In carrying out demonstration
projects under the program described in subsection (b), the Secretary,
in coordination with the advanced reactor demonstration program
established under section 959A may, not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this section, award not more than two near
term utility demonstration projects of grid scale small modular reactor
technology in the United States to applicants with, to the maximum
extent practicable, an expected orderbook of deployments or an early
site permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an advanced
nuclear reactor.
``(d) Requirements.--In carrying out demonstration projects under
the program described in subsection (b) and in accordance with
subsection (c), the Secretary shall--
``(1) require a non-Federal or utility cost share of not
less than 50 percent for such demonstration projects pursuant
to section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16352);
``(2) include, as an evaluation criterion, diversity in
designs for the small modular reactors and micro-reactors
demonstrated under such projects, including designs using
various--
``(A) estimated capital investments, with emphases
on reduced construction costs and durations as compared
to other advanced nuclear reactors;
``(B) end-use applications;
``(C) output of wastes requiring disposal;
``(D) abilities to utilize recycled spent nuclear
fuel;
``(E) technology readiness levels; and
``(F) abilities to be co-located on existing power
plant sites;
``(3) to the maximum extent practicable, utilize
technologies and lessons learned from the National Reactor
Innovation Center of the Idaho National Laboratory and the
Department of Defense's and Department of Energy's pilot
program for micro-reactors, commonly known as `Project Pele';
and
``(4) to the maximum extent practicable, require adherence
to milestone-based demonstration project authorities in
accordance with section 9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42
U.S.C. 7256c; division Z of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260)).
``(e) Siting.--The Secretary shall select at least one
demonstration project under subsection (c)(1) to be located on or
adjacent to a site on which a nuclear reactor operates, previously
operated, or could operate in the future with existing energy
infrastructure, including current, former, or underutilized facilities
on Federal property or in the custody and control of the Tennessee
Valley Authority established under the Tennessee Valley Authority Act
of 1933 (16 U.S.C. 831 et seq.).
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated the following:
``(1) For activities of the program established under
subsection (b), $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025
through 2027.
``(2) For demonstration projects established under
subsection (c), the following:
``(A) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.
``(B) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
``(C) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
``(g) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on
activities carried out under this section, including relating to the
progress and timeline of demonstration projects under subsection
(c).''.
(b) Small Modular Reactor Siting With Existing Infrastructure.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, as part of the program established
under section 959D of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (as added
by subsection (a)), the Secretary of Energy shall identify
priority sites for small modular reactors and micro-reactors
(as such terms are defined in such section) at locations with
existing energy infrastructure.
(2) Site selection.--The Secretary of Energy shall identify
locations referred to in paragraph (1) by considering sites
with the following attributes:
(A) Increased cost-effectiveness through measurable
energy savings, water savings or reuse, or
infrastructure costs averted from using existing energy
infrastructure.
(B) Expected replicability at similar sites in a
variety of geographic regions.
(C) The ability to supplement existing energy load.
(D) Relevant permitting, workforce, or transmission
to accommodate completion of construction on an
expedited timeline as compared to traditional nuclear
power.
(E) Existing relationships with an electric utility
provider.
(F) Existing Federal infrastructure or workforce
presence with unique energy supply challenges.
(G) Efforts to obtain early site permits or other
recognition from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
for suitability to deploy advanced nuclear
technologies.
(3) Existing sites.--The Secretary of Energy shall include
a list of Department of Energy sites or installations that are
critical national security infrastructure (as such term is
defined in section 327(d) of the John S. McCain National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-
232)) that are determined to be practical sites for small
modular reactors and micro-reactors.
(4) Report.--The Secretary of Energy shall submit to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report on sites identified pursuant
to this subsection.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
959C the following new item:
``Sec. 959D. Small modular reactor demonstration program.''.
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