§16023 Project organization

Summary

Creates a Project made of five main parts: developing and testing high‑temperature hydrogen production; developing and testing energy conversion systems; developing and qualifying nuclear fuel; choosing, testing, and qualifying materials; and designing, engineering, and qualifying the reactor and the rest of the plant. The work happens in two phases. The first phase must pick and prove the hydrogen technology, do research and demonstrations on the other areas, decide if one prototype plant should make both electricity and hydrogen, and begin initial reactor and safety design work. The second phase must continue the development work, pick a final prototype design through competition, apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for construction and operation licenses, and build and start the prototype reactor and its hydrogen or electricity facilities. The Secretary must make sure the Project gets ideas and help from the nuclear industry, the chemical processing industry, and international efforts. The Secretary must seek international cooperation and funding, may hire experts or facilities from Generation IV members, the Russian Federation, or other partners, and may do demonstrations in partner countries. The Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) must review plans and progress, bring in extra experts or subpanels as needed, and within 180 days after August 8, 2005 review plans against the June 30, 2004 report and address any missing recommendations. When first‑phase work is nearly done, the Secretary must ask NERAC for a full review and recommendation about moving to phase two, and must send any NERAC report to the appropriate congressional committees within 60 days, with any added views.