Sec. 2003. Nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs

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Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16272 ) is amended to read as follows: The Secretary shall carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application, including through the use of modeling and simulation, to support existing operating nuclear power plants which shall address technologies to modernize and improve, with respect to such plants— reliability; capacity; component aging; safety; physical security and security costs; plant lifetime; operations and maintenance costs, including by utilizing risk-informed systems analysis; the ability for plants to operate flexibly; nuclear integrated energy system applications described in subsection (c); efficiency; environmental impacts; and resilience.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection $55,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The Secretary shall submit annually a public report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate documenting funds spent under the program that describes program activities, objectives, and outcomes, including those that could benefit the entirety of the existing reactor fleet, such as with respect to aging management and related sustainability concerns, and identifying funds awarded to private entities.

The Secretary shall carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to support advanced reactor technologies. In carrying out the program under this subsection, the Secretary shall— prioritize designs for advanced nuclear reactors that are proliferation resistant and passively safe, including designs that, compared to reactors operating on the date of enactment of the Energy Act of 2020 — are economically competitive with other electric power generation plants; have higher efficiency, lower cost, less environmental impacts, increased resilience, and improved safety; use fuels that are proliferation resistant and have reduced production of high-level waste per unit of output; and use advanced instrumentation and monitoring systems; consult with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on appropriate metrics to consider for the criteria specified in subparagraph (A); support research and development to resolve materials challenges relating to extreme environments, including environments that contain high levels of— radiation fluence; temperature; pressure; and corrosion; support research and development to aid in the qualification of advanced fuels, including fabrication techniques; support activities that address near-term challenges in modeling and simulation to enable accelerated design of and licensing of advanced nuclear reactors, including the identification of tools and methodologies for validating such modeling and simulation efforts; develop technologies, including technologies to manage, reduce, or reuse nuclear waste; ensure that nuclear research infrastructure is maintained or constructed, including— currently operational research reactors at the National Laboratories and institutions of higher education; hot cell research facilities; a versatile fast neutron source; and advanced coolant testing facilities, including coolants such as lead, sodium, gas, and molten salt; improve scientific understanding of nonlight water coolant physics and chemistry; develop advanced sensors and control systems, including the identification of tools and methodologies for validating such sensors and systems; investigate advanced manufacturing and advanced construction techniques and materials to reduce the cost of advanced nuclear reactors, including the use of digital twins and of strategies to implement project and construction management best practices, and study the effects of radiation and corrosion on materials created with these techniques; consult with the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration to integrate reactor safeguards and security into design; support efforts to reduce any technical barriers that would prevent commercial application of advanced nuclear energy systems; and develop various safety analyses and emergency preparedness and response methodologies.

The Secretary shall coordinate with individuals engaged in the private sector and individuals who are experts in nuclear nonproliferation, environmental and public health and safety, and economics to advance the development of various designs of advanced nuclear reactors. In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall convene an advisory committee of such individuals and such committee shall submit annually a report to the relevant committees of Congress with respect to the progress of the program.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection $55,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The Secretary shall carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to develop nuclear integrated energy systems, composed of 2 or more co-located or jointly operated subsystems of energy generation, energy storage, or other technologies and in which not less than 1 such subsystem is a nuclear energy system, to— reduce greenhouse gas emissions in both the power and nonpower sectors; and maximize energy production and efficiency.

In carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate with— relevant program offices within the Department of Energy; National Laboratories; institutions of higher education; and the private sector. The program under paragraph

(1)may include research, development, demonstration, or commercial application of nuclear integrated energy systems with respect to— desalination technologies and processes; hydrogen or other liquid and gaseous fuel or chemical production; heat for industrial processes; district heating; heat or electricity generation and storage; carbon capture, use, utilization, and storage; microgrid or island applications; integrated systems modeling, analysis, and optimization, inclusive of different configurations of integrated energy systems; and integrated design, planning, building, and operation of systems with existing infrastructure, including interconnection requirements with the electric grid, as appropriate. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection— $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. . Section 953 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16273 ) is amended to read as follows: The Secretary shall conduct an advanced fuel cycle research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program to improve fuel cycle performance, minimize environmental and public health and safety impacts, and support a variety of options for used nuclear fuel storage, use, and disposal, including advanced nuclear reactor and non-reactor concepts (such as radioisotope power systems), which may include— dry cask storage; consolidated interim storage; deep geological storage and disposal, including mined repository, and other technologies; used nuclear fuel transportation; integrated waste management systems; vitrification; fuel recycling and transmutation technologies, including advanced reprocessing technologies such as electrochemical and molten salt technologies, and advanced redox extraction technologies; advanced materials to be used in subparagraphs

(A)through (G); and other areas as determined by the Secretary. In carrying out the program under this subsection, the Secretary shall— ensure all activities and designs incorporate state of the art safeguards technologies and techniques to reduce risk of proliferation; consult with the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration to integrate safeguards and security by design; consider the potential benefits and other impacts of those activities for civilian nuclear applications, environmental health and safety, and national security, including consideration of public consent; and consider the economic viability of all activities and designs. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The Secretary shall conduct an advanced fuels research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program on next-generation light water reactor and advanced reactor fuels that demonstrate the potential for improved— performance; accident tolerance; proliferation resistance; use of resources; environmental impact; and economics. In carrying out the program under this subsection, the Secretary shall focus on the development of advanced technology fuels, including fabrication techniques, that offer improved accident-tolerance and economic performance with the goal of initial commercial application by December 31, 2025. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes how the technologies and concepts studied under this program would impact reactor economics, the fuel cycle, operations, safety, proliferation, and the environment. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. . Section 954 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16274 ) is amended— in the section heading, by striking and inserting University nuclear ; Nuclear in subsection (b)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking this section and inserting this subsection ; and by redesignating paragraphs

(1)through

(5)as subparagraphs

(A)through (E), respectively, and indenting appropriately; in subsection (c), by redesignating paragraphs

(1)and

(2)as subparagraphs

(A)and (B), respectively, and indenting appropriately; in subsection (d)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking this section and inserting this subsection ; and by redesignating paragraphs

(1)through

(4)as subparagraphs

(A)through (D), respectively, and indenting appropriately; in subsection (e), by striking this section and inserting this subsection ; in subsection (f)— by striking this section and inserting this subsection ; and by striking subsection (b)(2) and inserting paragraph (2)(B) ; by redesignating subsections

(a)through

(d)as paragraphs

(1)through (4), respectively, and indenting appropriately; by redesignating subsections

(e)and

(f)as paragraphs

(7)and (8), respectively; by inserting after paragraph

(4)(as so redesignated) the following: The Secretary shall carry out a program under which the Secretary shall provide project management, technical support, quality engineering and inspection, and nuclear material handling support to research reactors located at universities. Of any amounts appropriated to carry out the program under this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this paragraph $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. In carrying out the programs under this section, the Department shall, to the maximum extent practicable, allocate 20 percent of funds appropriated to nuclear energy research and development programs annually to fund university-led research and university infrastructure projects through an open, competitive solicitation process. ; by inserting before paragraph

(1)(as so redesignated) the following: ; and by adding at the end the following: In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish a nuclear energy graduate traineeship subprogram under which the Secretary shall competitively award graduate traineeships in coordination with universities to provide focused, advanced training to meet critical mission needs of the Department, including in industries that are represented by skilled labor unions. In carrying out the subprogram under this subsection, the Secretary shall— encourage appropriate partnerships among National Laboratories, affected universities, and industry; and on an annual basis, evaluate the needs of the nuclear energy community to implement graduate traineeships for focused topical areas addressing mission-specific workforce needs. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the subprogram under this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. . The table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109– 58; 119 Stat. 600) is amended by striking the items relating to sections 952 through 954 and inserting the following: Sec. 952. Reactor concepts research, development, demonstration, and commercial application. Sec. 953. Fuel cycle research, development, demonstration, and commercial application. Sec. 954. Nuclear science and engineering support. . Section 313 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 ( 42 U.S.C. 16274a ), is amended to read as follows: The Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall jointly establish a program, to be known as the University Nuclear Leadership Program . Except as provided in paragraph (2), amounts made available to carry out the Program shall be used to provide financial assistance for scholarships, fellowships, and research and development projects at institutions of higher education in areas relevant to the programmatic mission of the applicable Federal agency, with an emphasis on providing the financial assistance with respect to research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities relevant to civilian advanced nuclear reactors including, but not limited to— relevant fuel cycle technologies; project management; and advanced construction, manufacturing, and fabrication methods. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), amounts made available to carry out the Program may be used to provide financial assistance for a scholarship, fellowship, or multiyear research and development project that does not align directly with a programmatic mission of the Department of Energy, if the activity for which assistance is provided would facilitate the maintenance of the discipline of nuclear science or engineering. In this section: The terms advanced nuclear reactor and institution of higher education have the meanings given those terms in section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16271 ). The term Program means the University Nuclear Leadership Program established under this section. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025— $30,000,000 to the Secretary of Energy, of which $15,000,000 shall be for use by the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration; and $15,000,000 to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. . Section 955 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16275 ) is amended— in subsection (c), paragraph (1)— in the paragraph heading, by striking and inserting Mission need ; and Authorization in subparagraph (A), by striking determine the mission need and inserting provide ; by adding at the end of subsection

(c)the following: There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out to completion the construction of the facility under this section— $295,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; $348,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; $525,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; $534,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and $584,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. . in subsection

(c)paragraph (4), by striking 2025 and inserting 2026 ; and by adding at the end the following: In carrying out the programs under this subtitle, the Secretary is authorized to establish a new initiative to be known as the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN). The initiative shall, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with national security, provide the nuclear energy industry with access to cutting edge research and development along with the technical, regulatory, and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization in an accelerated and cost-effective fashion. The Secretary shall make available, as a minimum— experimental capabilities and testing facilities; computational capabilities, modeling, and simulation tools; access to existing datasets and data validation tools; and technical assistance with guidance or processes as needed. The Secretary shall select industry partners for awards on a competitive merit-reviewed basis. In selecting industry partners under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider— the information disclosed by the Department as described in paragraph (1); and any existing facilities the Department will provide for public private partnership activities. . Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: For the purposes of this section, the term demonstration project means an advanced nuclear reactor operated in any manner, including as part of the power generation facilities of an electric utility system, for the purpose of demonstrating the suitability for commercial application of the advanced nuclear reactor. The Secretary shall establish a program to advance the research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of domestic advanced, affordable, nuclear energy technologies by— demonstrating a variety of advanced nuclear reactor technologies, including those that could be used to produce— safer, emissions-free power at a competitive cost of electricity compared to other new energy generation technologies on the date of enactment of the Energy Act of 2020 ; heat for community heating, industrial purposes, heat storage, or synthetic fuel production; remote or off-grid energy supply; or backup or mission-critical power supplies; identifying research areas that the private sector is unable or unwilling to undertake due to the cost of, or risks associated with, the research; and facilitating the access of the private sector— to Federal research facilities and personnel; and to the results of research relating to civil nuclear technology funded by the Federal Government. In carrying out demonstration projects under the program established in subsection (b), the Secretary shall— include, as an evaluation criterion, diversity in designs for the advanced nuclear reactors demonstrated under this section, including designs using various— primary coolants; fuel types and compositions; and neutron spectra; consider, as evaluation criterions— the likelihood that the operating cost for future commercial units for each design implemented through a demonstration project under this subsection is cost-competitive in the applicable market, including those designs configured as integrated energy systems as described in section 952(c); the technology readiness level of a proposed advanced nuclear reactor technology; the technical abilities and qualifications of teams desiring to demonstrate a proposed advanced nuclear reactor technology; and the capacity to meet cost-share requirements of the Department; ensure that each evaluation of candidate technologies for the demonstration projects is completed through an external review of proposed designs, which review shall— be conducted by a panel that includes not fewer than 1 representative that does not have a conflict of interest of each within the applicable market of the design of— an electric utility; an entity that uses high-temperature process heat for manufacturing or industrial processing, such as a petrochemical or synthetic fuel company, a manufacturer of metals or chemicals, or a manufacturer of concrete; an expert from the investment community; a project management practitioner; and an environmental health and safety expert; and include a review of each demonstration project under this subsection which shall include consideration of cost-competitiveness and other value streams, together with the technology readiness level, the technical abilities and qualifications of teams desiring to demonstrate a proposed advanced nuclear reactor technology, the capacity to meet cost-share requirements of the Department, if Federal funding is provided, and environmental impacts; for federally funded demonstration projects, enter into cost-sharing agreements with private sector partners in accordance with section 988 for the conduct of activities relating to the research, development, and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactor designs under the program; consult with— National Laboratories; institutions of higher education; traditional end users (such as electric utilities); potential end users of new technologies (such as users of high-temperature process heat for manufacturing processing, including petrochemical or synthetic fuel companies, manufacturers of metals or chemicals, or manufacturers of concrete); developers of advanced nuclear reactor technology; environmental and public health and safety experts; and non-proliferation experts; seek to ensure that the demonstration projects carried out under this section do not cause any delay in the progress of an advanced reactor project by private industry and the Department of Energy that is underway as of the date of enactment of this section; establish a streamlined approval process for expedited contracting between awardees and the Department; identify technical challenges to candidate technologies; support near-term research and development to address the highest risk technical challenges to the successful demonstration of a selected advanced reactor technology, in accordance with— paragraph (8); the research and development activities under section 952(b); and the research and development activities under section 958; and establish such technology advisory working groups as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to advise the Secretary regarding the technical challenges identified under paragraph

(8)and the scope of research and development programs to address the challenges, in accordance with paragraph (9), to be comprised of— private sector advanced nuclear reactor technology developers; technical experts with respect to the relevant technologies at institutions of higher education; technical experts at the National Laboratories; environmental and public health and safety experts; non-proliferation experts; and any other entities the Secretary determines appropriate. The Secretary may carry out demonstration projects under subsection

(c)as a milestone-based demonstration project under section 9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 . Entities may not receive funds under this program if receiving funds from another reactor demonstration program at the Department in the same fiscal year. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program under this subsection— $405,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; $405,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; $420,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; $455,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and $455,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. . The table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 594) is amended— in the items relating to sections 957, 958, and 959, by inserting Sec. before 95 each place it appears; and by inserting after the item relating to section 959 the following: Sec. 959A. Advanced reactor demonstration program. . Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.), as amended by subsection (g), is further amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary shall carry out a program— to collaborate in international efforts with respect to research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of nuclear technology that supports diplomatic, financing, nonproliferation, climate, and international economic objectives for the safe, secure, and peaceful use of such technology; and to develop collaboration initiatives with respect to such efforts with a variety of countries through— preparations for research and development agreements; the development of coordinated action plans; and new or existing multilateral cooperation commitments including— the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation; the Generation IV International Forum; the International Atomic Energy Agency; the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency; and any other international collaborative effort with respect to advanced nuclear reactor operations and safety. . The table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 594), as amended by subsection (g), is further amended by inserting after the item relating to section 959A the following: Sec. 959B. International nuclear energy cooperation. .

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