§16279a Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program

Summary

The Secretary must set up a program to speed up research, testing, and commercial use of U.S. advanced, low-cost nuclear reactor technologies. The program will build and run demonstration reactors to show different designs and uses, such as cleaner, emissions-free power that is cost-competitive with other new generation technologies as of December 27, 2020; heat for towns or industry, heat storage, or making synthetic fuels; remote or off-grid power; and backup or mission-critical power. The program will find research areas the private sector won’t take on because of cost or risk, help private companies use Federal labs, people, and research results, and require diversity in reactor designs (different coolants, fuel types, and neutron behaviors). Each candidate demo must be judged on likely commercial operating cost, technology readiness, team qualifications, and ability to share costs. Reviews must be done by an outside panel that includes at least one non-conflicted representative from the relevant market sectors (an electric utility, a high‑temperature industrial user, an investor expert, a project management expert, and an environmental health and safety expert). Federally funded demos need cost‑sharing agreements under section 16352. The Secretary must consult labs, universities, users, developers, safety and non‑proliferation experts, avoid delaying projects already underway as of December 27, 2020, speed contracting, identify technical risks and fund near‑term work to fix the biggest risks, form technical advisory groups, may use milestone‑based projects under section 7256c, and cannot fund entities that already get money from another Department reactor demo program in the same fiscal year. The program has these authorized budgets: $405,000,000 for FY2021; $405,000,000 for FY2022; $420,000,000 for FY2023; $455,000,000 for FY2024; and $455,000,000 for FY2025.