I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 431 

To enable civilian research and development of advanced nuclear energy 

technologies by private and public institutions, to expand theoretical 

and practical knowledge of nuclear physics, chemistry, and materials 

science, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 11, 2017 

Mr. WEBER of Texas (for himself, Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Ms. 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. 

CULBERSON, Mr. TONKO, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. 

SCHWEIKERT, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. PETERS, Mr. HULTGREN, and Mr. 

ROHRABACHER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To enable civilian research and development of advanced 

nuclear energy technologies by private and public institutions, to expand theoretical and practical knowledge of 

nuclear physics, chemistry, and materials science, 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 Inno5 vation Capabilities Act of 2017’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION CAPABILITIES. 

2 (a) NUCLEAR ENERGY.—Section 951 of the Energy 

3 Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271) is amended to read 

4 as follows: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 951. NUCLEAR ENERGY. 

6 ‘‘(a) MISSION.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

8 out programs of civilian nuclear research, develop9 ment, demonstration, and commercial application, 

10 including activities under this subtitle. 

11 ‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—The programs carried 

12 out under paragraph (1) shall take into consider13 ation the following objectives: 

14 ‘‘(A) Providing research infrastructure to 

15 promote scientific progress and enable users 

16 from academia, the National Laboratories, and 

17 the private sector to make scientific discoveries 

18 relevant for nuclear, chemical, and materials 

19 science engineering. 

20 ‘‘(B) Maintaining nuclear energy research 

21 and development programs at the National 

22 Laboratories and institutions of higher edu23 cation, including infrastructure at the National 

24 Laboratories and institutions of higher edu25 cation. 


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1 ‘‘(C) Providing the technical means to re2 duce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation. 

3 ‘‘(D) Increasing confidence margins for 

4 public safety of nuclear energy systems. 

5 ‘‘(E) Reducing the environmental impact 

6 of activities relating to nuclear energy. 

7 ‘‘(F) Supporting technology transfer from 

8 the National Laboratories to the private sector. 

9 ‘‘(G) Enabling the private sector to part10 ner with the National Laboratories to dem11 onstrate novel reactor concepts for the purpose 

12 of resolving technical uncertainty associated 

13 with the objectives described in subparagraphs 

14 (A) through (F). 

15 ‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this subtitle: 

16 ‘‘(1) ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTOR.—The 

17 term ‘advanced nuclear reactor’ means— 

18 ‘‘(A) a nuclear fission reactor with signifi19 cant improvements over the most recent genera20 tion of nuclear fission reactors, which may in21 clude— 

22 ‘‘(i) inherent safety features; 

23 ‘‘(ii) lower waste yields; 

24 ‘‘(iii) greater fuel utilization; 

25 ‘‘(iv) superior reliability; 


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1 ‘‘(v) resistance to proliferation; 

2 ‘‘(vi) increased thermal efficiency; and 

3 ‘‘(vii) the ability to integrate into elec4 tric and nonelectric applications; or 

5 ‘‘(B) a nuclear fusion reactor. 

6 ‘‘(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘Commission’ 

7 means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

8 ‘‘(3) FAST NEUTRON.—The term ‘fast neutron’ 

9 means a neutron with kinetic energy above 100 

10 kiloelectron volts. 

11 ‘‘(4) NATIONAL LABORATORY.— 

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

13 subparagraph (B), the term ‘National Labora14 tory’ has the meaning given the term in section 

15 2. 

16 ‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—With respect to the 

17 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the 

18 Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the 

19 Sandia National Laboratories, the term ‘Na20 tional Laboratory’ means only the civilian ac21 tivities of the laboratory. 

22 ‘‘(5) NEUTRON FLUX.—The term ‘neutron flux’ 

23 means the intensity of neutron radiation measured 

24 as a rate of flow of neutrons applied over an area. 


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1 ‘‘(6) NEUTRON SOURCE.—The term ‘neutron 

2 source’ means a research machine that provides neu3 tron irradiation services for— 

4 ‘‘(A) research on materials sciences and 

5 nuclear physics; and 

6 ‘‘(B) testing of advanced materials, nuclear 

7 fuels, and other related components for reactor 

8 systems.’’. 

9 (b) NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAMS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 952 of the Energy 

11 Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16272) is amended— 

12 (A) by striking subsection (c); and 

13 (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and 

14 (e) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively. 

15 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

16 641(b)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 

17 U.S.C. 16021(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 

18 942(d)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 952(c)’’. 

19 (c) ADVANCED FUEL CYCLE INITIATIVE.—Section 

20 953(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 

21 16273(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘, acting through the 

22 Director of the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and 

23 Technology,’’. 

24 (d) UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ENGINEER25 ING SUPPORT.—Section 954(d)(4) of the Energy Policy 


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1 Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16274(d)(4)) is amended by strik2 ing ‘‘as part of a taking into consideration effort that em3 phasizes’’ and inserting ‘‘that emphasize’’. 

4 (e) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CIVILIAN NUCLEAR

5 INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES.—Section 955 of the 

6 Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16275) is amend7 ed— 

8 (1) by striking subsections (c) and (d); and 

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

10 ‘‘(c) VERSATILE NEUTRON SOURCE.— 

11 ‘‘(1) MISSION NEED.— 

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than De13 cember 31, 2017, the Secretary shall determine 

14 the mission need for a versatile reactor-based 

15 fast neutron source, which shall operate as a 

16 national user facility. 

17 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATIONS REQUIRED.—In car18 rying out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 

19 consult with the private sector, institutions of 

20 higher education, the National Laboratories, 

21 and relevant Federal agencies to ensure that 

22 the user facility described in subparagraph (A) 

23 will meet the research needs of the largest prac24 ticable majority of prospective users. 


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1 ‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—As soon as practicable 

2 after determining the mission need under paragraph 

3 (1)(A), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 

4 committees of Congress a detailed plan for the es5 tablishment of the user facility. 

6 ‘‘(3) FACILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 

7 ‘‘(A) CAPABILITIES.—The Secretary shall 

8 ensure that the user facility will provide, at a 

9 minimum, the following capabilities: 

10 ‘‘(i) Fast neutron spectrum irradia11 tion capability. 

12 ‘‘(ii) Capacity for upgrades to accom13 modate new or expanded research needs. 

14 ‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out 

15 the plan submitted under paragraph (2), the 

16 Secretary shall consider the following: 

17 ‘‘(i) Capabilities that support experi18 mental high-temperature testing. 

19 ‘‘(ii) Providing a source of fast neu20 trons at a neutron flux, higher than that 

21 at which current research facilities operate, 

22 sufficient to enable research for an optimal 

23 base of prospective users. 


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1 ‘‘(iii) Maximizing irradiation flexibility 

2 and irradiation volume to accommodate as 

3 many concurrent users as possible. 

4 ‘‘(iv) Capabilities for irradiation with 

5 neutrons of a lower energy spectrum. 

6 ‘‘(v) Multiple loops for fuels and ma7 terials testing in different coolants. 

8 ‘‘(vi) Additional pre-irradiation and 

9 post-irradiation examination capabilities. 

10 ‘‘(vii) Lifetime operating costs and 

11 lifecycle costs. 

12 ‘‘(4) DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The 

13 Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 

14 complete construction of, and approve the start of 

15 operations for, the user facility by not later than De16 cember 31, 2025. 

17 ‘‘(5) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall include 

18 in the annual budget request of the Department an 

19 explanation for any delay in the progress of the De20 partment in completing the user facility by the dead21 line described in paragraph (4). 

22 ‘‘(6) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall le23 verage the best practices for management, construc24 tion, and operation of national user facilities from 

25 the Office of Science.’’. 


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1 (f) SECURITY OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES.—Section 

2 956 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16276) 

3 is amended by striking ‘‘, acting through the Director of 

4 the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology,’’. 

5 (g) HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTATION AND SUP6 PORTIVE RESEARCH.—Section 957 of the Energy Policy 

7 Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16277) is amended to read as 

8 follows: 

9 ‘‘SEC. 957. HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTATION AND SUP10 PORTIVE RESEARCH. 

11 ‘‘(a) MODELING AND SIMULATION.—The Secretary 

12 shall carry out a program to enhance the capabilities of 

13 the United States to develop new reactor technologies 

14 through high-performance computation modeling and sim15 ulation techniques. 

16 ‘‘(b) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program 

17 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with 

18 relevant Federal agencies as described by the National 

19 Strategic Computing Initiative established by Executive 

20 Order 13702 (80 Fed. Reg. 46177 (July 29, 2015)), while 

21 taking into account the following objectives: 

22 ‘‘(1) Using expertise from the private sector, in23 stitutions of higher education, and the National 

24 Laboratories to develop computational software and 

25 capabilities that prospective users may access to acVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:07 Jan 21, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H431.IH H431

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1 celerate research and development of advanced nu2 clear reactor systems and reactor systems for space 

3 exploration. 

4 ‘‘(2) Developing computational tools to simulate 

5 and predict nuclear phenomena that may be vali6 dated through physical experimentation. 

7 ‘‘(3) Increasing the utility of the research infra8 structure of the Department by coordinating with 

9 the Advanced Scientific Computing Research pro10 gram within the Office of Science. 

11 ‘‘(4) Leveraging experience from the Energy In12 novation Hub for Modeling and Simulation. 

13 ‘‘(5) Ensuring that new experimental and com14 putational tools are accessible to relevant research 

15 communities, including private sector entities en16 gaged in nuclear energy technology development. 

17 ‘‘(c) SUPPORTIVE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.—The Sec18 retary shall consider support for additional research activi19 ties to maximize the utility of the research facilities of the 

20 Department, including physical processes— 

21 ‘‘(1) to simulate degradation of materials and 

22 behavior of fuel forms; and 

23 ‘‘(2) for validation of computational tools.’’. 

24 (h) ENABLING NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION.— 

25 Subtitle E of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 


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1 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is amended by adding at the 

2 end the following: 

3 ‘‘SEC. 958. ENABLING NUCLEAR ENERGY INNOVATION. 

4 ‘‘(a) NATIONAL REACTOR INNOVATION CENTER.— 

5 There is authorized a program to enable the testing and 

6 demonstration of reactor concepts to be proposed and 

7 funded, in whole or in part, by the private sector. 

8 ‘‘(b) TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.—In carrying out the 

9 program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall leverage 

10 the technical expertise of relevant Federal agencies and 

11 the National Laboratories in order to minimize the time 

12 required to enable construction and operation of privately 

13 funded experimental reactors at National Laboratories or 

14 other Department-owned sites. 

15 ‘‘(c) OBJECTIVES.—The reactors described in sub16 section (b) shall operate to meet the following objectives: 

17 ‘‘(1) Enabling physical validation of advanced 

18 nuclear reactor concepts. 

19 ‘‘(2) Resolving technical uncertainty and in20 creasing practical knowledge relevant to safety, resil21 ience, security, and functionality of advanced nuclear 

22 reactor concepts. 

23 ‘‘(3) General research and development to im24 prove nascent technologies. 


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1 ‘‘(d) SHARING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.—In carrying 

2 out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary may 

3 enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 

4 Chairman of the Commission in order to share technical 

5 expertise and knowledge through— 

6 ‘‘(1) enabling the testing and demonstration of 

7 advanced nuclear reactor concepts to be proposed 

8 and funded, in whole or in part, by the private sec9 tor; 

10 ‘‘(2) operating a database to store and share 

11 data and knowledge relevant to nuclear science and 

12 engineering between Federal agencies and the pri13 vate sector; 

14 ‘‘(3) developing and testing electric and non15 electric integration and energy conversion systems 

16 relevant to advanced nuclear reactors; 

17 ‘‘(4) leveraging expertise from the Commission 

18 with respect to safety analysis; and 

19 ‘‘(5) enabling technical staff of the Commission 

20 to actively observe and learn about technologies de21 veloped under the program. 

22 ‘‘(e) AGENCY COORDINATION.—The Chairman of the 

23 Commission and the Secretary shall enter into a memo24 randum of understanding regarding the following: 

25 ‘‘(1) Ensuring that— 


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1 ‘‘(A) the Department has sufficient tech2 nical expertise to support the timely research, 

3 development, demonstration, and commercial 

4 application by the civilian nuclear industry of 

5 safe and innovative advanced nuclear reactor 

6 technology; and 

7 ‘‘(B) the Commission has sufficient tech8 nical expertise to support the evaluation of ap9 plications for licenses, permits, and design cer10 tifications and other requests for regulatory ap11 proval for advanced nuclear reactors. 

12 ‘‘(2) The use of computers and software codes 

13 to calculate the behavior and performance of ad14 vanced nuclear reactors based on mathematical mod15 els of the physical behavior of advanced nuclear re16 actors. 

17 ‘‘(3) Ensuring that— 

18 ‘‘(A) the Department maintains and devel19 ops the facilities necessary to enable the timely 

20 research, development, demonstration, and com21 mercial application by the civilian nuclear in22 dustry of safe and innovative reactor tech23 nology; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) the Commission has access to the fa2 cilities described in subparagraph (A), as need3 ed. 

4 ‘‘(f) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

6 after the date of enactment of the Nuclear Energy 

7 Innovation Capabilities Act of 2017, the Secretary, 

8 in consultation with the National Laboratories, rel9 evant Federal agencies, and other stakeholders, shall 

10 submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 

11 report assessing the capabilities of the Department 

12 to authorize, host, and oversee privately funded ex13 perimental advanced nuclear reactors as described in 

14 subsection (b). 

15 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 

16 paragraph (1) shall address— 

17 ‘‘(A) the safety review and oversight capa18 bilities of the Department, including options to 

19 leverage expertise from the Commission and the 

20 National Laboratories; 

21 ‘‘(B) options to regulate privately proposed 

22 and funded experimental reactors hosted by the 

23 Department; 


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1 ‘‘(C) potential sites capable of hosting pri2 vately funded experimental advanced nuclear re3 actors; 

4 ‘‘(D) the efficacy of the available contrac5 tual mechanisms of the Department to partner 

6 with the private sector and Federal agencies, 

7 including cooperative research and development 

8 agreements, strategic partnership projects, and 

9 agreements for commercializing technology; 

10 ‘‘(E) the liability of the Federal Govern11 ment with respect to the disposal of low-level 

12 radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or high13 level radioactive waste (as those terms are de14 fined in section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy 

15 Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101)); 

16 ‘‘(F) the impact on the aggregate inven17 tory in the United States of low-level radio18 active waste, spent nuclear fuel, or high-level 

19 radioactive waste (as those terms are defined in 

20 section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 

21 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101)); 

22 ‘‘(G) potential cost structures relating to 

23 physical security, decommissioning, liability, 

24 and other long-term project costs; and 


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1 ‘‘(H) other challenges or considerations 

2 identified by the Secretary. 

3 ‘‘(3) UPDATES.—Once every 2 years, the Sec4 retary shall update relevant provisions of the report 

5 submitted under paragraph (1) and submit to the 

6 appropriate committees of Congress the update. 

7 ‘‘(g) SAVINGS CLAUSES.— 

8 ‘‘(1) LICENSING REQUIREMENT.—Nothing in 

9 this section authorizes the Secretary or any person 

10 to construct or operate a nuclear reactor for the pur11 pose of demonstrating the suitability for commercial 

12 application of the nuclear reactor unless licensed by 

13 the Commission in accordance with section 202 of 

14 the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 

15 5842). 

16 ‘‘(2) FINANCIAL PROTECTION.—Any activity 

17 carried out under this section that involves the risk 

18 of public liability shall be subject to the financial 

19 protection or indemnification requirements of section 

20 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 

21 2210) (commonly known as the ‘Price-Anderson 

22 Act’).’’. 

23 (i) BUDGET PLAN.—Subtitle E of title IX of the En24 ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) (as 


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1 amended by subsection (h)) is amended by adding at the 

2 end the following: 

3 ‘‘SEC. 959. BUDGET PLAN. 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

5 date of enactment of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Ca6 pabilities Act of 2017, the Secretary shall submit to the 

7 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen8 ate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

9 of the House of Representatives 2 alternative 10-year 

10 budget plans for civilian nuclear energy research and de11 velopment by the Secretary, as described in subsections 

12 (b) through (d). 

13 ‘‘(b) BUDGET PLAN ALTERNATIVE 1.—One of the 

14 budget plans submitted under subsection (a) shall assume 

15 constant annual funding for 10 years at the appropriated 

16 level for the civilian nuclear energy research and develop17 ment of the Department for fiscal year 2016. 

18 ‘‘(c) BUDGET PLAN ALTERNATIVE 2.—One of the 

19 budget plans submitted under subsection (a) shall be an 

20 unconstrained budget. 

21 ‘‘(d) INCLUSIONS.—Each alternative budget plan 

22 submitted under subsection (a) shall include— 

23 ‘‘(1) a prioritized list of the programs, projects, 

24 and activities of the Department to best support the 


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1 development of advanced nuclear reactor tech2 nologies; 

3 ‘‘(2) realistic budget requirements for the De4 partment to implement sections 955(c), 957, and 

5 958; and 

6 ‘‘(3) the justification of the Department for 

7 continuing or terminating existing civilian nuclear 

8 energy research and development programs.’’. 

9 (j) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The table of con10 tents for the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended by 

11 striking the item relating to section 957 and inserting the 

12 following: 

‘‘957. High-performance computation and supportive research. 

‘‘958. Enabling nuclear energy innovation. 

‘‘959. Budget plan.’’. 

Æ 


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