§19351 Advanced Nuclear Technologies Federal Research, Development, and Demonstration Program

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must start a program to give federal money to eligible groups. The money will support research, development, testing, and use of advanced nuclear reactors and the supply chain and facilities that make parts for them. The program should use a competitive, merit-based review when possible, and applicants must apply when and how the Secretary requires. Key terms and rules: Advanced nuclear reactor is defined in section 16271(b). Eligible groups include states, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, local governments, electric utilities, National Laboratories, colleges and universities, and private companies that work on advanced nuclear tech, supply chains, or nuclear-related construction, financing, or regulation. The Secretary must give priority to projects that reuse retired or retiring fossil-fuel power plant sites to help those communities, projects that plan nonelectric uses of nuclear heat (like energy storage, making hydrogen or other fuels and chemicals, industrial heat, desalination, isotope production, or district heating), and projects that have shown they can train or retrain workers. Cost-share rules in section 16352 apply. The law authorizes these amounts: $75,000,000 for 2023; $100,000,000 for 2024; $150,000,000 for 2025; $225,000,000 for 2026; and $250,000,000 for 2027.