Sec. 2. Findings
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/bill/115/s/512/is/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds that— the safe and secure operation of nuclear reactors in the United States must remain the paramount focus of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the existing fleet of nuclear reactors in the United States is operating safely and securely; nuclear energy is the largest source of affordable, reliable, emissions-free energy in the United States, providing approximately 20 percent of the electricity consumed in the United States and 60 percent of emissions-free electricity generation in the United States; a 1,000-megawatt nuclear plant— provides approximately 500 permanent jobs; pays approximately $40,000,000 annually in wages; generates approximately $470,000,000 annually in goods and services in the local community; and pays approximately $83,000,000 annually in Federal, State, and local taxes; nuclear energy is of critical importance to United States energy security and worldwide influence on nonproliferation; nuclear energy uses widely available fuel resources to enable scientific progress, emissions-free and reliable electricity generation, heat generation for industrial applications, and power for deep space exploration; the private sector, the National Laboratories (as defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 15801 )), and institutions of higher education are pursuing innovations in nuclear energy technology that will play a crucial role in— the future global and United States energy supply; and the exports, manufacturing, and economy of the United States; eventual deployment of commercial advanced nuclear reactors will require— modernizing the regulatory framework; and making other necessary changes to facilitate the efficient, predictable, and affordable deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies; 2 impediments to the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors are the high costs and long durations associated with applying the existing nuclear regulatory framework to advanced nuclear reactors; license application reviews should be as predictable and efficient as practicable without compromising safety or security; the development of advanced nuclear reactors would benefit from the early identification of policy issues for timely consideration and resolution by the Commission to improve the efficient development of designs as well as preparing for design review and licensing; the existing nuclear regulatory framework and the requirements of that framework have not adapted to advances in scientific understanding or the features and performance characteristics of advanced nuclear reactor designs; the existing nuclear reactor licensing process does not provide iterative feedback to manage risk as needed for typical technology development and investment cycles; a staged licensing structure that provides clear and periodic feedback to applicants on an agreed schedule will help to enable the commercialization of safer and innovative technologies that will benefit the economy, national security, and environment of the United States; a technology-inclusive Commission regulatory framework will— allow greater technological innovation; and enable inventors, scientists, engineers, and students to pursue licensing advanced reactor concepts; further preparation by the Commission of the research and test reactor licensing process will enable the Commission to more efficiently process applications for research and test reactors when the applications are received; it is incumbent on the Commission— to budget appropriate resources to undertake an active role in design familiarization activities with potential applicants with advanced reactor designs; to budget for adequate resources to conduct licensing reviews and other work requested by licensees and applicants; and to preserve those budgeted funds to ensure responsiveness to licensees and applicants in recognition of the dependence of the licensees and applicants on Commission approval before the benefits of the technology of the licensees and applicants can be realized; and both prospective advanced nuclear reactor applicants and the existing fleet of nuclear reactors in the United States would benefit from modernizing the outdated fee recovery structure of the Commission to better manage fluctuations in workload and the number of licensees in a fair and equitable manner.
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U.S. Code