II 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nuclear Energy Re5 search Initiative Improvement Act of 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH INITIATIVE. 

2 Section 952(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 

3 U.S.C. 16272(a)) is amended— 

4 (1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting 

5 the following: 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary;’’; and 

7 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED RESEARCH INITIATIVES.—In 

9 carrying out the program under this subsection, the 

10 Secretary shall conduct research to lower the cost of 

11 nuclear reactor systems, including research regard12 ing— 

13 ‘‘(A) modular and small-scale reactors; 

14 ‘‘(B) balance-of-plant issues; 

15 ‘‘(C) cost-efficient manufacturing and con16 struction; 

17 ‘‘(D) licensing issues; and 

18 ‘‘(E) enhanced proliferation controls. 

19 ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In car20 rying out initiatives under paragraph (2), the Sec21 retary shall consult with— 

22 ‘‘(A) the Secretary of Commerce; 

23 ‘‘(B) the Secretary of the Treasury; 

24 ‘‘(C) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; 

25 and 


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1 ‘‘(D) any other individual who the Sec2 retary determines to be necessary. 

3 ‘‘(4) SCHEDULE.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 

5 days after the date of enactment of this para6 graph, the Secretary shall develop and publish 

7 on the website of the Department of Energy a 

8 schedule that contains an outline of a 5-year 

9 strategy to lower effectively the costs of nuclear 

10 reactors. 

11 ‘‘(B) PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.—In developing 

12 the schedule under subparagraph (A), the Sec13 retary shall conduct public workshops to pro14 vide an opportunity for public comment. 

15 ‘‘(C) REVIEW.—Before the date on which 

16 the Secretary publishes the schedule under sub17 paragraph (A), the Nuclear Energy Advisory 

18 Committee shall conduct a review of the sched19 ule. 

20 ‘‘(D) ANNUAL UPDATES.— 

21 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 

22 180 days after the date on which the Sec23 retary publishes the schedule under sub24 paragraph (A) and annually thereafter, the 

25 Secretary shall update the schedule. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.—In updat2 ing the schedule under clause (i), the Sec3 retary shall conduct public workshops in 

4 accordance with subparagraph (B). 

5 ‘‘(5) COST SHARING.—Section 988 shall apply 

6 to initiatives carried out under this section. 

7 ‘‘(6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

8 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

9 this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

10 2011 through 2015.’’. 

Æ 


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