Sec. 3501. Report on fusion and fission reactor prototypes
269 words·~1 min read·
/bill/114/s/2012/pcs/section-3501A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Laboratories, relevant Federal agencies, and other stakeholders, shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report assessing the capability of the Department to host privately funded fusion and fission reactor prototypes up to 20 megawatts thermal output and related demonstration facilities at sites owned by the Department. The report submitted under subsection
(a)shall describe the results of an assessment of— the safety review, oversight capabilities, and potential liability of the Department; potential sites capable of hosting research, development, and demonstration of prototype reactors and related facilities for the purpose of reducing technical risk; the existing physical and technical capabilities of the Department and the National Laboratories relevant to research, development, and oversight; the efficacy of the available contractual mechanisms of the Department, including— cooperative research and development agreements; work for others agreements; and agreements for commercializing technology; potential cost structures relating to physical security, decommissioning, liability, and other long-term project costs; the feasibility of the Department providing technical assistance to developers of privately funded fusion and advanced fission reactors in connection with obtaining a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for demonstration reactors or commercial reactors of varying size and readiness levels up to 2 gigawatts of thermal output; and other challenges or considerations identified by the Secretary, including issues relating to potential cases of demonstration reactors up to 2 gigawatts of thermal output.