[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2052 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2052

  To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of 
   Energy to carry out a research and development and demonstration 
  program to reduce manufacturing and construction costs relating to 
               nuclear reactors, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 29, 2009

 Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, and Ms. Murkowski) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of 
   Energy to carry out a research and development and demonstration 
  program to reduce manufacturing and construction costs relating to 
               nuclear reactors, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Energy Research Initiative 
Improvement Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

    Section 952(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
16272(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary;''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Authorized research initiatives.--In carrying out the 
        program under this subsection, the Secretary shall conduct 
        research to lower the cost of nuclear reactor systems, 
        including research regarding--
                    ``(A) modular and small-scale reactors;
                    ``(B) balance-of-plant issues;
                    ``(C) cost-efficient manufacturing and 
                construction;
                    ``(D) licensing issues; and
                    ``(E) enhanced proliferation controls.
            ``(3) Consultation requirement.--In carrying out 
        initiatives under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consult 
        with--
                    ``(A) the Secretary of Commerce;
                    ``(B) the Secretary of the Treasury;
                    ``(C) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and
                    ``(D) any other individual who the Secretary 
                determines to be necessary.
            ``(4) Schedule.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
                the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary 
                shall develop and publish on the website of the 
                Department of Energy a schedule that contains an 
                outline of a 5-year strategy to lower effectively the 
                costs of nuclear reactors.
                    ``(B) Public workshops.--In developing the schedule 
                under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall conduct 
                public workshops to provide an opportunity for public 
                comment.
                    ``(C) Review.--Before the date on which the 
                Secretary publishes the schedule under subparagraph 
                (A), the Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee shall 
                conduct a review of the schedule.
                    ``(D) Annual updates.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 180 days 
                        after the date on which the Secretary publishes 
                        the schedule under subparagraph (A) and 
                        annually thereafter, the Secretary shall update 
                        the schedule.
                            ``(ii) Public workshops.--In updating the 
                        schedule under clause (i), the Secretary shall 
                        conduct public workshops in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (B).
            ``(5) Cost sharing.--Section 988 shall apply to initiatives 
        carried out under this section.
            ``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.''.
                                 <all>