[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6253 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6253
To authorize the Secretary of Energy to make awards to cover regulatory
costs relating to licensing certain first-of-a-kind advanced nuclear
reactors.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 7, 2023
Mr. Curtis (for himself and Mr. Tonko) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Energy to make awards to cover regulatory
costs relating to licensing certain first-of-a-kind advanced nuclear
reactors.
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 ``Advanced Nuclear Reactor Prize
Act''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTOR PRIZES.
Section 103 of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act
(Public Law 115-439; 132 Stat. 5571) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(f) Prizes for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Licensing.--
``(1) Definition of eligible entity.--In this subsection,
the term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a non-Federal entity; and
``(B) the Tennessee Valley Authority.
``(2) Prize for advanced nuclear reactor licensing.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 169 of
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2209) and
subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Secretary is authorized to make, with respect to each
award category described in subparagraph (C), an award
in an amount described in subparagraph (B) to the first
eligible entity--
``(i) to which the Commission issues an
operating license for an advanced nuclear
reactor under part 50 of title 10, Code of
Federal Regulations (or successor regulations),
for which an application has not been approved
by the Commission as of the date of enactment
of this subsection; or
``(ii) for which the Commission makes a
finding described in section 52.103(g) of title
10, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor
regulations), with respect to a combined
license for an advanced nuclear reactor--
``(I) that is issued under subpart
C of part 52 of that title (or
successor regulations); and
``(II) for which an application has
not been approved by the Commission as
of the date of enactment of this
subsection.
``(B) Amount of award.--Subject to paragraph (3),
an award under subparagraph (A) shall be in an amount
equal to the total amount assessed by the Commission
and collected under section 102(b)(2) from the eligible
entity receiving the award for costs relating to the
issuance of the license described in that subparagraph,
including, as applicable, costs relating to the
issuance of an associated construction permit described
in section 50.23 of title 10, Code of Federal
Regulations (or successor regulations), or early site
permit (as defined in section 52.1 of that title (or
successor regulations)).
``(C) Award categories.--An award under
subparagraph (A) may be made for--
``(i) the first advanced nuclear reactor
for which the Commission--
``(I) issues a license in
accordance with clause (i) of
subparagraph (A); or
``(II) makes a finding in
accordance with clause (ii) of that
subparagraph;
``(ii) an advanced nuclear reactor that--
``(I) uses isotopes derived from
spent nuclear fuel (as defined in
section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy
Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101)) or
depleted uranium as fuel for the
advanced nuclear reactor; and
``(II) is the first advanced
nuclear reactor described in subclause
(I) for which the Commission--
``(aa) issues a license in
accordance with clause (i) of
subparagraph (A); or
``(bb) makes a finding in
accordance with clause (ii) of
that subparagraph;
``(iii) an advanced nuclear reactor that--
``(I) is a nuclear integrated
energy system--
``(aa) that is composed of
2 or more co-located or jointly
operated subsystems of energy
generation, energy storage, or
other technologies;
``(bb) in which not fewer
than 1 subsystem described in
item (aa) is a nuclear energy
system; and
``(cc) the purpose of which
is--
``(AA) to reduce
greenhouse gas
emissions in both the
power and nonpower
sectors; and
``(BB) to maximize
energy production and
efficiency; and
``(II) is the first advanced
nuclear reactor described in subclause
(I) for which the Commission--
``(aa) issues a license in
accordance with clause (i) of
subparagraph (A); or
``(bb) makes a finding in
accordance with clause (ii) of
that subparagraph;
``(iv) an advanced reactor that--
``(I) operates flexibly to generate
electricity or high temperature process
heat for nonelectric applications; and
``(II) is the first advanced
nuclear reactor described in subclause
(I) for which the Commission--
``(aa) issues a license in
accordance with clause (i) of
subparagraph (A); or
``(bb) makes a finding in
accordance with clause (ii) of
that subparagraph; and
``(v) the first advanced nuclear reactor
for which the Commission grants approval to
load nuclear fuel pursuant to the technology-
inclusive regulatory framework established
under subsection (a)(4).
``(3) Federal funding limitation.--
``(A) Exclusion of tva funds.--In this paragraph,
the term `Federal funds' does not include funds
received under the power program of the Tennessee
Valley Authority established pursuant to the Tennessee
Valley Authority Act of 1933 (16 U.S.C. 831 et seq.).
``(B) Limitation on amounts expended.--An award
under this subsection shall not exceed the total amount
expended (excluding any expenditures made with Federal
funds received for the applicable project and an amount
equal to the minimum cost-share required under section
988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352))
by the eligible entity receiving the award for
licensing costs relating to the project for which the
award is made.
``(C) Repayments and dividends not required.--
Notwithstanding section 9104(a)(4) of title 31, United
States Code, or any other provision of law, an eligible
entity that received an award under this subsection
shall not be required--
``(i) to repay that award or any part of
that award; or
``(ii) to pay a dividend, interest, or
other similar payment based on the sum of that
award.''.
<all>