§16273 Fuel Cycle Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Application

Summary

The Secretary must run a program to research, develop, test, and move into use better ways to handle used nuclear fuel. The work is meant to make the fuel cycle perform better, cut environmental and safety risks, and support many storage, reuse, and disposal options, including advanced reactors and non-reactor uses. The program covers things like dry cask and interim storage, deep geological disposal and mined repositories, transport, integrated waste handling, vitrification, fuel recycling and transmutation (including electrochemical, molten salt, and advanced redox methods), advanced materials, and other areas the Secretary chooses. The Secretary must use modern safeguards to lower proliferation risk, consult with the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, consider civilian, health, safety, and national security impacts (including public consent), and check economic viability. There is authorization for $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The Secretary must also run a program on advanced fuels for next‑generation light water and other advanced reactors to improve performance, accident tolerance, resistance to proliferation, resource use, environmental impact, and economics. The focus is on advanced fuel technologies and fabrication with the goal of first commercial use by December 31, 2025. Not later than 180 days December 27, 2020, the Secretary must send a report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate describing how the technologies would affect reactor economics, the fuel cycle, operations, safety, proliferation, and the environment. There is authorization for $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.