Advanced Reactor Licensing Progress
Federal Entities
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
NRC was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974. NRC is responsible for licensing facilities developed for permanent disposal of high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel. NRC also regulates spent fuel pools and dry cask storage. NRC would also be responsible for licensing any reprocessing facility for commercial spent nuclear fuel. NRC also regulates spent fuel pools and dry cask storage. NRC regulates other uses of nuclear materials such as in medicine through a process involving licensing, inspection, and enforcement of its requirements.
NRC does not have licensing authority over:
Receipt or possession of high-level waste used for or as part of DOE activities in DOE research and development facilities; DOE facilities used as short-term storage for high-level waste from DOE activities; DOE facilities used for the storage or disposal of transuranic waste, foreign high-level waste not resulting from licensed activity, and low-level waste; DOE’s decommissioned facilities (except those specified in Section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act); and DOE’s high-level waste-processing facilities.
While there is no “regulator” for defense nuclear waste, DOE is the federal agency responsible for the development and production of nuclear weapons, promotion of nuclear power, and other energy-related work. In addition, DOE is in charge of planning and carrying out programs for the safe handling of DOE-generated high-level waste, developing waste-disposal technologies, and for designing, constructing and operating disposal facilities for DOE-generated high-level waste and commercial spent nuclear fuel.
Many local governments around DOE’s nuclear weapons complex recognize an opportunity to work with DOE at the cleanup sites or national laboratories within their communities to support the development and demonstration of new nuclear technologies. By doing so they can help to ensure future nuclear missions, attract economic development opportunities and create new nuclear jobs. In addition, these communities can use existing assets — a highly trained workforce, extensive infrastructure, natural resources, property and location.
Nuclear Technologies Under Development
DOE defines SMRs as a nuclear power plant with an output of less than 300 megawatts electric. Accelerating the development of SMR designs is a high priority within DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE). The size of an SMR, approximately one-third the size of current nuclear plants, also would increase flexibility for utilities since they could add units as demand changes or use them for on-site replacement of aging fossil fuel plants. Some of the designs for SMRs use little or no water for cooling, which would reduce their environmental impact. SMRs are the right size to replace coal plants being shut because of age and inability to meet modern pollution standards.
DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy is responsible for research, development and deployment (RD&D) activities related to future reactor concepts. These activities are designed to address technical, cost, safety and security issues associated with advanced reactor concepts and ultimately, to make nuclear energy a more competitive resource in the future.
The RD&D work is done through national laboratories and universities, as well as through partnerships with the nuclear industry. Local governments and communities interested in new nuclear missions and nuclear workforce development can benefit from understanding nuclear technologies that are being prioritized and developed for the future.
Nuclear Fuels/Nuclear Fuel Technologies
The United States currently employs an open fuel cycle in which reactor fuel is used once, removed from the reactor and sent to storage for eventual emplacement in a repository. However, when the nuclear fuel is removed from the reactor, approximately 95 percent of it is uranium and 1 percent is plutonium, both of which can be reprocessed. Reusing the nuclear fuel potentially can extend the fuel supply and result in a fivefold decrease in the volume of the waste and a tenfold reduction in its toxicity.
HALEU: What is High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium?
By definition, HALEU is enriched between 5% and 20% and is required for most U.S. advanced reactors to achieve smaller designs that get more power per unit of volume. HALEU will also allow developers to optimize their systems for longer life cores, increased efficiencies and better fuel utilization.
Isotope Research and Development
In August 2019, Department of Energy announced $6.5 million in funding for 15 awards to advance isotope research, development, and production. Isotopes for medical and industrial use are just two examples of how influential technological developments can be within the nuclear complex. The current awards include seven universities and six DOE national laboratories, with several of the universities and national laboratories working in collaboration.
Legislation
Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act, (HR 1578): To streamline nuclear technology regulatory permitting and licensing, and for other purposes. Introduced in House on March 3, 2021 by Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL 16).
To direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to submit a report on facilitating efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactors through expanded use of categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and generic environmental impact statements, and for other purposes (HR 1559); Introduced in House on March 3, 2021 by Rep. Duncan (R-SC 3).
To require the Secretary of Energy to obtain the consent of affected State and local governments before making an expenditure from the Nuclear Waste Fund for a nuclear waste repository, and for other purposes (HR 1524): Introduced in the House on March 2, 2021 by Rep. Titus (D-NV 1).
To assess and improve the competitiveness of American civilian nuclear commerce, to expedite Department of Energy review of certain nuclear technology exports, and for other purposes (HB 1748): Introduced in the House on March 10, 2021 by Rep. Johnson (R-OH 6).
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should support, and not limit access to, all domestic sources of energy development in an effort to achieve full energy security (HR 163): Introduced in the House on February 25, 2021 by Rep. Latta (R-OH 5).
To facilitate the efficient licensing and deployment of advanced civilian nuclear technologies (HB 1746): Introduced in the House on March 10, 2021 by Rep. Hudson (R-NC 8).
Nuclear Energy Leadership Act, also known as NELA, (S 903): introduced as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA, S 4049). NELA aims to re-establish US leadership in nuclear energy, with a focus on the demonstration of advanced reactor concepts, providing fuel for initial advanced nuclear reactors, and developing the nuclear energy workforce. NELA was not included in the House of Representatives version of the NDAA, which was passed on 21 July. A final version of the legislation on which both House and Senate agree must be drawn up before it can become law.
Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act (H.R. 6097): in March, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee advanced to the full committee, moving it one step closer to a vote by the chamber. The bill, introduced by Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA), “expands critical research programs at the Department of Energy for a broad range of commercial nuclear reactors, lowering the price of electricity and extending the lifespan of these critical assets” and “encourages the development of new, advanced reactor designs and funds training programs for the next generation of engineers.”
Nuclear Energy for the Future Act (H.R. 6796): would support advanced nuclear research and development programs and infrastructure. The bill would allow DOE to use public-private partnerships to “achieve faster and cost-effective development of advanced nuclear energy technologies toward commercial readiness.”
In June Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), chairman of the House Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, discussed the role of nuclear energy in net-zero emissions legislation. Rep. Tonko commented, “Clean energy of any kind, including our nuclear energy, is an important factor as we go forward,” and said the subcommittee will hold additional hearings on the issue as the bill is crafted.
Department of Energy Initiatives
Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN)
The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy has established GAIN as a resource to distribute information to the nuclear community including the technical, regulatory, and financial aspects of the nuclear industry. The site hosts several educational materials about how to advance the developments of nuclear technologies toward commercial readiness. The GAIN initiative overview can be viewed here.
Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future (NICE Future)
NICE Future aims to ensure that nuclear energy receives appropriate representation in high-level discussions about clean energy. The initiative engages diverse stakeholders to focus on full-scale nuclear for baseload electricity as well as innovative, next-generation technologies and integrated renewable-nuclear energy systems across four key areas:
Technology evaluations of innovative energy systems and uses;
Engagement of policy makers and stakeholders in future energy choices;
Valuation, market structure, and ability to finance; and,
Communicating nuclear energy’s role in clean, integrated energy systems.
Related Organizations
Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
The Nuclear Energy Institute is the policy organization of the nuclear technologies industry, based in Washington, D.C. NEI's members include companies that own or operate nuclear power plants, reactor designers and advanced technology companies, architect and engineering firms, fuel suppliers and service companies, consulting services and manufacturing companies, companies involved in nuclear medicine and nuclear industrial applications, radionuclide and radiopharmaceutical companies, universities and research laboratories, law firms, labor unions and international electric utilities.
TerraPower was founded by Bill Gates and others that decided the private sector needed to take action in developing advanced nuclear energy to meet growing electricity needs, mitigate climate change and address the economic impacts of a non-nuclear world. TerraPower is working with corporations, national laboratories, universities and others.
Third Way is a national think tank out of Washington, DC. Third Way is creating an entirely new policy discussion around advanced nuclear technology. Third Way has a great collection of resources ranging from advanced nuclear to innovation, existing nuclear, and energy systems.
Clean Air Task Force is pursuing Advanced Nuclear Technologies to address the need to decarbonize the world energy system. CATF is working with the private sector and academic partners to lower the cost of nuclear technology development and increasing the speed at which the technologies deploy.
Elysium Industries is an advanced nuclear engineering company, which specializes in the design, development and manufacture of its advanced reactor technology. Elysium is working to develop the Elysium Molten Chloride Salt Fast Reactor (MCSFR). Based on demonstrated technology in the 1960s, Elysium has adapted and improved the molten salt reactor design for commercial deployment. In addition, the Elysium reactor has the ability to consume spent nuclear fuel and weapons waste transforming it into useful energy.
Deep Isolation is investigating and innovating ways to dispose of nuclear waste. Rather than creating large tunnels, Deep Isolation will place nuclear waste in narrow 18-inch horizontal drillholes in rock that has been stable for millions of years. The Deep Isolation repository begins with a vertical access drillhole extending thousands of feet deep and will then gently turn horizontal. Canisters containing nuclear waste would be stored in the deep horizontal section.
NDB is a high-power diamond-based alpha, beta, and neutron voltaic battery that can provide device life-long and green energy for numerous applications and overcome limitations of the existing energy creation/distribution solutions. It can be used to power fields such as automotive, consumer electronics, sensors, space machinery, and other electronics powered by a chemical battery. In brief, NDB is a safe, high-powered, green and versatile solution to the globally growing energy demand made from recycled nuclear waste.
Articles of Interest
DOE Report Highlights Faster Approach to Demonstrating Advanced Reactors (Office of Nuclear Energy, May 4, 2021)
“NE Strategic Vision” (Office of Nuclear Energy, January 8, 2021)
“It’s Time for the United States to Demonstrate Advanced Reactors” (Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy, Oct. 14, 2020)
“More and Better: Building and Managing a Federal Energy Demonstration Project Portfolio” (David Hart, May 18, 2020)
“Recycled Nuclear Waste Will Power a New Reactor” (Wired, Feb. 2020)
“Addressing the Challenges with Establishing the Infrastructure for the frontend of the Fuel Cycle for Advanced Reactors” (NEI, January 2018)
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