42 U.S.C. § 13492: Program, goals, and plan

Summary

The Secretary must run a program to encourage use of advanced nuclear reactors that, as much as possible, are cost effective compared to other electric power with similar availability and reliability (including life-cycle environmental costs), use standardized designs to make licensing and construction easier, have better safety features, and include measures that support the goals of the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Act of 1978. Near-term goals include finishing, by September 30, 1996, advanced light water reactor designs for certification and submitting preliminary design approvals by that date for modular high‑temperature gas‑cooled and liquid metal reactor designs, and evaluating actinide‑burn technology by September 30, 1996 to see if it can cut the volume of long‑lived radioactive byproducts. Mid-term goals include making enhanced‑safety light water reactors more efficient and low cost, developing passively safe and environmentally acceptable reactor concepts, and finishing R&D on the high‑temperature gas and liquid metal reactor types so one or both can be picked for prototype demonstration by September 30, 1998. The long-term goal is to finish R&D and demonstrations so advanced reactors can supply power to the grid as soon as possible but no later than 2010. Within 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary must give Congress a 5‑year program plan with schedule milestones, Federal funding needs, and expected non‑Federal cost sharing. The plan must consider the need and potential for utilities to adopt these reactor technologies, how the Federal Government can help make them available, how to work with the private sector to meet the goals, and possible alternative funding sources. The Secretary must consult industry, colleges and universities, Federal agencies (including national labs), and professional and technical societies. The plan must be updated each year and sent to Congress, and each update must say if any work is behind schedule, if funding is short, or if other problems could affect meeting the goals.

Title 42, §13492

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Program direction

The Secretary shall conduct a program to encourage the deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies that to the maximum extent practicable—

(1)are cost effective in comparison to alternative sources of commercial electric power of comparable availability and reliability, taking into consideration life cycle environmental costs;

(2)facilitate the design, licensing, construction, and operation of a nuclear powerplant using a standardized design;

(3)exhibit enhanced safety features; and

(4)incorporate features that advance the objectives of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 [22 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.].

(b)Program goals

The goals of the program established under subsection (a) shall include—

(1)for the near-term—

(A)to facilitate the completion, by September 30, 1996, for certification by the Commission, of standardized advanced light water reactor technology designs that the Secretary determines have the characteristics described in subsection (a)(1) through (4);

(B)to facilitate the completion of submissions, by September 30, 1996, for preliminary design approvals by the Commission of standardized designs for the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and the liquid metal reactor technology; and

(C)to evaluate by September 30, 1996, actinide burn technology to determine if it can reduce the volume of long-lived fission byproducts;

(2)for the mid-term—

(A)to facilitate increased efficiency of enhanced safety, advanced light water reactors to produce electric power at the lowest cost to the customer;

(B)to develop advanced reactor concepts that are passively safe and environmentally acceptable; and

(C)to complete necessary research and development on high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and liquid metal reactor technology to support the selection, by September 30, 1998, of one or both of those technologies as appropriate for prototype demonstration; and

(3)for the long-term, to complete research and development and demonstration to support the design of advanced reactor technologies capable of providing electric power to a utility grid as soon as practicable but no later than the year 2010.

(c)Program plan

Within 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress a 5-year program plan to guide the activities under this section. The program plan shall include schedule milestones, Federal funding requirements, and non-Federal cost sharing requirements. In preparing the program plan, the Secretary shall take into consideration—

(1)the need for, and the potential for future adoption by electric utilities or other entities of, advanced nuclear reactor technologies that are available, under development, or have the potential for being developed, for the generation of energy from nuclear fission;

(2)how the Federal Government, acting through the Secretary, can be effective in ensuring the availability of such technologies when they are needed;

(3)how the Federal Government can most effectively cooperate with the private sector in the accomplishment of the goals set forth in subsection (b); and

(4)potential alternative funding sources for carrying out this section.

In preparing the program plan, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher education, Federal agencies, including national laboratories, and professional and technical societies. The Secretary shall update the program plan annually and submit such update to Congress. Each such update shall describe any activities that are behind schedule, any funding shortfalls, and any other circumstances that might affect the ability of the Secretary to meet the goals set forth in subsection (b).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is Pub. L. 95–242, Mar. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 120, which is classified principally to chapter 47 (§ 3201 et seq.) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3201 of Title 22 and Tables.

§13492 Program, Goals, and Plan