Charleston Leader

Bipartisan legislation to support the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies has overwhelmingly passed the Senate.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate voted to pass bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, EPW Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) that will provide a significant boost to the future of nuclear energy in America.

The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, which the senators introduced in March 2023, passed as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S.870) by a vote of 88-2 and will now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“Today, we sent the ADVANCE Act to the president’s desk because Congress worked together to recognize the importance of nuclear energy to America’s future and got the job done,” Ranking Member Capito said. “This bipartisan piece of legislation will encourage more innovation and investment in nuclear technologies right here on our shores. It also directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to more efficiently carry out its important regulatory mission and helps redevelop conventional energy sites for future nuclear energy projects. I’m proud the work we put into this legislation over many years is coming to fruition, and excited to mark a significant achievement for clean, reliable nuclear power.”

“In a major victory for our climate and American energy security, the U.S. Senate has passed the ADVANCE Act with overwhelming, bipartisan support,” Chairman Carper said. “For years, I have worked with Senators Capito and Whitehouse on this legislation to accelerate the deployment of our nation’s largest source of carbon-free electricity: nuclear energy. The ADVANCE Act will provide the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the tools and workforce it needs to review new nuclear technologies efficiently while maintaining the NRC’s critical safety mission and creating thousands of jobs. With the President’s signature, the ADVANCE Act will become law and lay the foundation for safe deployment of advanced reactors in coming decades.”

“This is another successful bipartisan effort to boost zero-emission nuclear power deployment and shore up America’s longstanding global leadership in nuclear energy,” Senator Whitehouse said. “The ADVANCE Act will strengthen our nuclear workforce, assist in deploying new advanced reactors by lowering barriers in regulatory processes, and facilitate reuse of Brownfield sites aiding coal-to-nuclear transition. Advancing next-generation reactor development is a win for our planet; passage marks another step towards bringing new safe reactors online.”

The ADVANCE Act aims to:

Facilitate American Nuclear Energy Leadership by:

- Empowering NRC participation in international forums for advanced reactor regulations.

- Directing DOE improvements in approving technology exports while maintaining non-proliferation standards.

Support Development and Deployment of New Technologies by:

- Reducing regulatory costs for licensing advanced reactors.

- Creating incentives for next-generation reactor deployment.

- Requiring NRC pathways for timely microreactor licensing at brownfield/retired fossil-fuel sites.

- Establishing accelerated NRC licensing reviews at existing sites.

Preserve Existing Nuclear Energy by modernizing outdated international investment rules.

Strengthen Fuel Cycle/Supply Chain Infrastructure by:

- Enhancing NRC qualification/licensing capabilities for accident-tolerant/advanced fuels.

- Evaluating advanced manufacturing techniques for better reactor construction.

Improve Commission Resources/Efficiency by:

- Providing flexibility/resource management improvements supporting modernization/staffing issues.

- Equipping NRC Chair with tools for hiring/retaining qualified individuals reviewing advanced licenses.

- Updating NRC Mission Statement reflecting modern beneficial use mandates.

- Establishing efficient/predictable regulatory reviews via streamlined NEPA processes.

Full text within S.870 can be found on page 4.

Ranking Member Capito's floor remarks ahead of voting can be found here.

Ranking Member Capito's press conference remarks can be found here.

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