- NEICA boosts rapid deployment of advanced reactors
- Measure establishes public-private cost-sharing for NRC licensing costs
- House hearing delves into details on test facilities, fuel for advanced reactors
President Donald Trump late last week signed into law bipartisan legislation that seeks to eliminate some of the financial and technical barriers to bringing advanced nuclear reactors to market in the United States.
Advanced reactors represent the cutting edge in nuclear technologies. Many advanced reactors are inherently safer by design, with some capable of operating without the need for safety-related backup electrical systems. They also can quickly adjust their electricity output to match demand, helping to stabilize a future grid that might have a larger share of intermittent renewables.
The Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA) provides vital support to help bring these innovations to market as early as the mid-2020s. It represents the U.S. government’s “strong commitment” to support the commercial nuclear sector, ensuring that the U.S. maintains its leadership around the globe, a Sept. 28 news release from the U.S. Department of Energy said.
The day before, industry, academic and government leaders testified before the Energy Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee on the importance of NEICA in guiding advanced reactor development to market deployment.
“NEICA truly arrived at just the right moment: I say that because NuScale and the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems … are looking to deploy the first small modular nuclear reactors at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) by 2026,” INL Associate Laboratory Director John Wagner said. “The NEICA bill takes significant steps to reestablish U.S. leadership in nuclear energy and support private sector development and deployment of advanced reactors.”
NEICA establishes a national reactor innovation center, a versatile reactor-based fast neutron source, and an advanced nuclear energy licensing cost-share grant program to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors and advanced reactor technologies.
“The bill … creates a reliable mechanism for the private sector to partner with DOE labs. This allows industry to build prototype reactors at DOE sites and creates another pathway for American nuclear entrepreneurs to move innovative reactor technology to market,” Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said. “It is critical that we develop the next generation of nuclear reactors here at home.”
It is critical that we develop the next generation of nuclear reactors here at home.
X-energy LLC is one of several companies involved in developing micro-reactors, which have generation capacities smaller than 10 megawatts-electric. X-energy President Harlan Bowers said the public-private partnership provision in NEICA that helps defray some of the costs of licensing new reactors is absolutely fundamental to help ensure these technologies are deployed.
“Solid private/public partnerships are needed for advanced nuclear success. Several hundred million dollars will be required to complete our design and secure a license from the NRC,” Bowers said. “That is why we were pleased to see the cost-share provision in the NEICA legislation.”
The bill also addresses two fundamental needs to help move advanced reactor designs into the marketplace more rapidly.
First, a fast-neutron user facility would allow scientists to test and analyze advanced reactor fuels and materials and instruments.
“A fast neutron test reactor is … a capability the U.S. does not possess,” INL’s Wagner said. “Development and construction of this test reactor will eliminate reliance on Russia for these irradiation tests and reposition the U.S. at the forefront of developing and improving new nuclear energy systems.”
Second, many advanced reactor concepts will need high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), for which there is currently no commercially available supply. HALEU is uranium fuel that is enriched in uranium-235 between five to 20 percent, compared to the three to five percent enrichment typically used in existing commercial reactors.
“[DOE’s] Office of Nuclear Energy is very familiar with this issue and is working with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to move forward on options for enrichment and spent nuclear fuel recycling that could support both U.S. advanced reactors and other DOE needs,” DOE Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Edward McGinnis said.
NEICA directs the secretary of energy to provide Congress with a report within 180 days that assesses DOE’s capabilities to host and operate experimental advanced nuclear reactors at the national laboratories or other DOE sites.
Witness statements and an archived webcast of the hearing are available. The full text of the NEICA bill is also available.
