Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2017 2017-01-23 Passed House without amendment (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2017

(Sec.4)This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enter into a memorandum of understanding to:

  • ensure that DOE has sufficient technical expertise to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative advanced reactor technology;
  • ensure that the NRC has sufficient technical expertise to support the evaluation of requests for regulatory approval for advanced reactors;
  • use computers and software codes to calculate the behavior and performance of advanced reactors based on mathematical models of their physical behavior; and
  • ensure that the DOE maintains and develops the facilities to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative reactor technology and ensuring that the NRC has access to such facilities, as needed.

(Sec.5)In addition, the NRC is required to develop a regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors. The plan must include options to expedite and streamline the licensing process for advanced reactors, cost estimates, budgets, and specific milestones for implementing the framework by the end of FY2019.

(Sec.6) This bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require that the aggregate amount of fees collected by the NRC from licensees and certificate holders in a fiscal year be decreased by the amount of appropriations for activities related to the development of regulatory infrastructure for advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
]]> 2017-01-20 Introduced in House Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2017

This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enter into a memorandum of understanding to:

  • ensure that DOE has sufficient technical expertise to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative advanced reactor technology;
  • ensure that the NRC has sufficient technical expertise to support the evaluation of requests for regulatory approval for advanced reactors;
  • use computers and software codes to calculate the behavior and performance of advanced reactors based on mathematical models of their physical behavior; and
  • ensure that the DOE maintains and develops the facilities to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative reactor technology and ensuring that the NRC has access to such facilities, as needed.

In addition, the NRC is required to develop a regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors.

This bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require that the aggregate amount of fees collected by the NRC from licensees and certificate holders in a fiscal year be decreased by the amount of appropriations for activities related to the development of regulatory infrastructure for advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
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