§16273 Fuel cycle research, development, demonstration, and commercial application

Summary

The Secretary must run a research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program to make nuclear fuel cycles safer, cleaner, and more flexible. The program covers storage and disposal options (like dry casks, consolidated interim storage, and deep underground repositories), transportation of used fuel, integrated waste systems, vitrification, recycling and transmutation methods (including electrochemical and molten salt approaches), advanced materials for those uses, and other related areas. The Secretary must build in strong safeguards to lower proliferation risk, work with the NNSA on security-by-design, consider civilian, environmental, public-consent, and national security impacts, and check economic viability. Congress authorized $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The Secretary must also run an advanced fuels program to develop next-generation fuels for light water and advanced reactors that improve performance, accident tolerance, resistance to proliferation, resource use, environmental impact, and economics, aiming for first commercial use by December 31, 2025. A report showing effects on reactor economics, the fuel cycle, operations, safety, proliferation, and the environment must be sent to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources within 180 days after December 27, 2020. Congress authorized $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.