[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 88 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3230-S3231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1765. Mrs. BLACKBURN submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed to amendment SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill S. 
1260, to establish a new Directorate for Technology and Innovation in 
the National Science Foundation, to establish a regional technology hub 
program, to require a strategy and report on economic security, 
science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to 
establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title III of division F, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. 63__. STUDY ON NATIONAL LABORATORY CONSORTIUM FOR 
                   ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF SMALL MODULAR 
                   REACTORS ON POWER GRID STABILITY AND 
                   RESILIENCE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Energy.
       (2) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
     Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.
       (b) Study Required.--The Secretary, in coordination with 
     the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security, shall conduct a study to analyze the feasibility of 
     authorizing a consortium within the National Laboratory 
     system to address the effects of advanced nuclear technology 
     in the form of small modular reactors on the stability and 
     resiliency of the United States power grid.
       (c) Elements.--The study required under subsection (b) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) An analysis of any additional authorities needed to 
     establish a research and development program to leverage the 
     expertise of the National Laboratories to accelerate the 
     development and deployment of advanced tools and techniques 
     to simulate the stability and resilience of the power grid to 
     adverse natural and man-made threats.
       (2) An evaluation of potential pilot programs involving 
     research, innovation transfer, academic partnerships, and 
     industry partnerships for power grid simulation research.
       (3) The use of existing Department programs and projects, 
     including--
       (A) the North American Energy Resilience Model;
       (B) the nuclear reactor computer models developed by the 
     Department; and
       (C) the supercomputing centers of the Department.
       (4) An assessment of, and cost estimates for, near-term 
     actions necessary for the proposed consortium to launch 
     expediently at a broad scale.
       (d) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committees on Energy and Commerce and Homeland Security of 
     the House of Representatives a report on the results of the 
     study conducted under subsection (b), which may include a 
     classified annex, if necessary.

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