Bipartisan Effort Seeks Support for Advanced Nuclear Power

WASHINGTON —  A bipartisan group of senators is urging colleagues to embrace “advanced” nuclear power to help the nation meet its clean energy goals.

Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., recently introduced the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2023, a bill they say will improve the nation’s nuclear infrastructure, secure its uranium supply chain, reduce carbon emissions and create jobs.

Co-sponsors include Sens. Tom Carper, D-Del., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade association based in Washington, D.C., so-called “advanced” nuclear reactors are at the cutting edge of the sector’s technology, being designed to be inherently safer than traditional reactors.

Among other things, advanced nuclear reactors are designed to quickly adjust their electricity output to match demand and can be made in a wide range of sizes — mainly due to advances in cooling and safety technologies — allowing owners to tailor their electricity generation to their energy demands.

Advocates for advanced nuclear power argue this can be a particular benefit to smaller companies, rural electric cooperatives and for isolated or distributed applications.

“Providing energy security at home and abroad should be a broadly bipartisan priority, and the best way to do so is to continue our investment in nuclear energy,” Crapo said in a written statement.  

“The ADVANCE Act ensures nuclear energy becomes a larger part of our nation’s diverse energy portfolio,” he continued. “With the world-leading Idaho National Laboratory in our backyard, Idaho is responsible for facilitating and promoting international nuclear competitiveness through research, innovation and workforce development.”

The bill would empower the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to lead in international forums to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors, and also would establish a joint Commerce Department and Energy Department initiative to facilitate outreach to nations that are seeking to develop advanced nuclear energy programs.

The bill’s sponsors say it will also reduce regulatory costs for companies seeking to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies and create new incentives for the successful deployment of next-generation nuclear reactor technologies.

In addition, the bill would direct the commission to establish an initiative to enhance preparedness to qualify and license advanced nuclear fuels, while authorizing funding to clean up legacy abandoned mining sites on tribal land. 

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