Key Issues
Highlights of Nuclear Energy Provisions in Energy Policy Act of 2005
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Nuclear R&D, Hydrogen Projects
The bill authorizes $2.95 billion for nuclear research and development and hydrogen projects. Included is $1.6 billion for general nuclear energy research and development, which supports the Energy Department’s Nuclear Power 2010 program; the Generation IV reactor initiative; the advanced fuel cycle initiative to evaluate recycling and transmutation technologies; and university science and engineering.
The Nuclear Power 2010 program incorporates government/industry cost-sharing efforts related to new nuclear plants, such as testing of the combined construction and operating license (COL) process.
House-Senate conferees agreed to replace the Nuclear Energy Plant Optimization Program with the Nuclear Energy System Support Program.
Also included is authorization of $1.25 billion for the construction of an advanced nuclear cogeneration reactor (Generation IV) to produce electricity and hydrogen at the Idaho National Laboratory.
The bill authorizes another $100 million to demonstrate hydrogen production at two existing nuclear plants.
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy
The bill establishes an assistant secretary position to head the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
The industry has been working to restore this position within the Energy Department since 2000 in an effort to raise the visibility of and emphasis on nuclear energy programs.
Nuclear R&D, Hydrogen Projects
The bill authorizes $2.95 billion for nuclear research and development and hydrogen projects. Included is $1.6 billion for general nuclear energy research and development, which supports the Energy Department’s Nuclear Power 2010 program; the Generation IV reactor initiative; the advanced fuel cycle initiative to evaluate recycling and transmutation technologies; and university science and engineering.
The Nuclear Power 2010 program incorporates government/industry cost-sharing efforts related to new nuclear plants, such as testing of the combined construction and operating license (COL) process.
House-Senate conferees agreed to replace the Nuclear Energy Plant Optimization Program with the Nuclear Energy System Support Program.
Also included is authorization of $1.25 billion for the construction of an advanced nuclear cogeneration reactor (Generation IV) to produce electricity and hydrogen at the Idaho National Laboratory.
The bill authorizes another $100 million to demonstrate hydrogen production at two existing nuclear plants.
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy
The bill establishes an assistant secretary position to head the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
The industry has been working to restore this position within the Energy Department since 2000 in an effort to raise the visibility of and emphasis on nuclear energy programs.
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