ARC Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced
Summary
Would accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear energy by reducing cost and schedule uncertainty. It would create an Accelerating Reliable Capacity Program inside the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office to offer enhanced financing, strict project oversight, and contingent payments tied to GAO‑aligned cost and schedule analyses.
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- Project developers would get stronger loan support and stricter planning rules. The Director could offer guarantees up to 200% of the point base estimate and contingent payments capped at the lesser of 30% of the point base or $1.2 billion.
- Federal lenders like the Federal Financing Bank would see loan principals reduced when the program pays them from the ARCP Account, but payments only occur when a project is placed in service and the guaranteed loan is not in default.
- DOE and Congress would get more oversight and data. The bill requires robust Class 2 cost and schedule risk analyses, rolling forecasts, quarterly project reviews, a working group of industry and experts, and post‑meeting briefings to specified committees.
*Authorizes $3.6 billion to seed the ARCP Account, creating a new federal funding commitment that would increase potential federal outlays.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
DOE loan help for advanced nuclear
If enacted, the Department of Energy would get $3.6 billion for a new Accelerating Reliable Capacity Program Account. The program would help qualifying advanced nuclear projects by paying the Federal Financing Bank to reduce guaranteed loan principal and by allowing guarantees up to 200% of a project's point base estimate. Borrowers would have to cover cost overruns until project expenses exceed 120% of the point base estimate. After that, the Director would be able to set quarterly payments subject to caps: each quarter's increase could not exceed 50% of that quarter's expenses and total payments could not exceed the lesser of 30% of the point base estimate or $1.2 billion; payments would be allowed only if the guaranteed loan is not in default.
Advisory group for nuclear loans
If enacted, the Secretary would create an Accelerating Reliable Capacity Working Group to advise the new loan program. The group would include private advanced reactor developers, representatives of the Federal Financing Bank or other federal lenders, and independent technical experts. The group would advise on project delivery standards, oversight procedures, and industry best practices. The group would be advisory and would not itself provide program money.
More exceptions to double benefit rule
If enacted, the bill would add new exceptions to the double‑benefit rule so some projects could keep multiple program benefits. New exceptions would cover projects partnering with Federal power marketing administrations or the Tennessee Valley Authority. Exceptions would also cover projects that supply military installations or work with the General Services Administration, projects that use National Laboratories or user facilities for testing or permitting, and projects using nuclear fuel under the Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023. These changes would let some developers combine or retain benefits that earlier rules would have blocked.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Risch, James E. [R-ID]
ID • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov