I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8355 

To establish and support advanced nuclear energy research and development 

programs at the Department of Energy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 

Mr. FULCHER (for himself and Mr. SIMPSON) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To establish and support advanced nuclear energy research 

and development programs at the Department of Energy, 

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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Next Generation Nuclear Advancement Act of 2020’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Integrated energy systems program. 

Sec. 3. Report on duplicative programs. 

Sec. 4. Light water reactor sustainability program. 

Sec. 5. Nuclear energy strategic plan. 


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1 SEC. 2. INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEMS PROGRAM. 

2 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

3 (1) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 

4 the Integrated Energy Systems Program established 

5 under subsection (b)(1). 

6 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

7 the Secretary of Energy. 

8 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 

10 a program, to be known as the ‘‘Integrated Energy 

11 Systems Program’’— 

12 (A) to maximize energy production and ef13 ficiency; 

14 (B) to develop energy systems involving 

15 the integration of nuclear energy with renew16 able energy, fossil energy, and energy storage; 

17 and 

18 (C) to expand the use of emissions-reduc19 ing energy technologies into nonelectric sectors 

20 to achieve significant reductions in environ21 mental emissions. 

22 (2) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION; PARTNERS.— 

23 The program shall be carried out by the Undersecre24 tary of Energy, in partnership with— 

25 (A) relevant offices within the Department 

26 of Energy; 


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1 (B) National Laboratories; 

2 (C) institutions of higher education; and 

3 (D) the private sector. 

4 (3) GOALS AND MILESTONES.—The Secretary 

5 shall establish quantitative goals and milestones for 

6 the program. 

7 (c) RESEARCH AREAS.—Research areas under the 

8 program may include— 

9 (1) technology innovation to further the expan10 sion of emissions-reducing energy technologies to ac11 commodate a modern, resilient grid system by— 

12 (A) effectively leveraging multiple energy 

13 sources; 

14 (B) enhancing and streamlining engineer15 ing design; 

16 (C) carrying out process demonstrations to 

17 optimize performance; and 

18 (D) streamlining regulatory review; 

19 (2) advanced power cycles, energy extraction, 

20 and processing of complex hydrocarbons to produce 

21 high-value chemicals; 

22 (3) efficient use of emissions-reducing energy 

23 technologies for hydrogen production to support 

24 transportation and industrial needs; 


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1 (4) enhancement and acceleration of domestic 

2 manufacturing and desalinization technologies and 

3 processes by optimally using clean energy sources; 

4 (5) more effective thermal energy use, trans5 port, and storage; 

6 (6) the demonstration of nuclear energy deliv7 ery for— 

8 (A) the production of chemicals, metals, 

9 and fuels; 

10 (B) the capture, use, and storage of car11 bon; 

12 (C) renewable integration with an inte13 grated energy system; and 

14 (D) conversion of carbon feedstock, such 

15 as coal, biomass, natural gas, and refuse waste, 

16 to higher value nonelectric commodities; 

17 (7) the development of new analysis capabilities 

18 to identify the best ways— 

19 (A) to leverage multiple energy sources in 

20 a given region; and 

21 (B) to quantify the benefits of integrated 

22 energy systems; and 

23 (8) any other area that, as determined by the 

24 Secretary, meets the purpose and goals of the pro25 gram. 


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1 (d) GRANTS.—The Secretary may award grants 

2 under the program to support the goals of the program. 

3 SEC. 3. REPORT ON DUPLICATIVE PROGRAMS. 

4 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

5 of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 

6 submit to Congress a report identifying any program that 

7 is duplicative of the program established under section 

8 2(b)(1). 

9 SEC. 4. LIGHT WATER REACTOR SUSTAINABILITY PRO10 GRAM. 

11 Section 952 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 

12 U.S.C. 16272) is amended by striking subsection (b) and 

13 inserting the following: 

14 ‘‘(b) LIGHT WATER REACTOR SUSTAINABILITY PRO15 GRAM.—The Secretary shall carry out a light water reac16 tor sustainability program— 

17 ‘‘(1) to ensure the achievement of maximum 

18 benefits from existing nuclear generation; 

19 ‘‘(2) to accommodate the increase in applica20 tions for nuclear power plant license renewals ex21 pected as of the date of enactment of this sub22 section; 

23 ‘‘(3) to enable the continued operation of exist24 ing nuclear power plants through technology devel25 opment; 


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1 ‘‘(4) to improve the performance and reduce the 

2 operation and maintenance costs of nuclear power 

3 plants; 

4 ‘‘(5) to promote the use of high-performance 

5 computing to simulate nuclear reactor processes; 

6 ‘‘(6) to coordinate with other research and de7 velopment programs of the Office of Nuclear Energy 

8 to ensure that developed technologies and capabili9 ties are part of an integrated investment strategy, 

10 the overall focus of which is improving the safety, 

11 security, reliability, and economics of operating nu12 clear power plants; and 

13 ‘‘(7) to focus on— 

14 ‘‘(A) new capabilities relating to nuclear 

15 energy research and development; 

16 ‘‘(B) enabling technologies beyond indi17 vidual programs; 

18 ‘‘(C) coordinating capabilities among the 

19 research and development programs of the Of20 fice of Nuclear Energy; 

21 ‘‘(D) examining new classes of materials 

22 not considered for nuclear applications; 

23 ‘‘(E) high-risk research, which could poten24 tially overcome technological limitations; and 


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1 ‘‘(F) the potential for industry partner2 ships to develop technologies relating to stor3 age, hydrogen production, high-temperature 

4 process heat, and other relevant areas.’’. 

5 SEC. 5. NUCLEAR ENERGY STRATEGIC PLAN. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle E of title IX of the En7 ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271 et seq.) is 

8 amended by adding at the end the following: 

9 ‘‘SEC. 959A. NUCLEAR ENERGY STRATEGIC PLAN. 

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

11 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

12 to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 

13 the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce 

14 and Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep15 resentatives a 10-year strategic plan for the Office of Nu16 clear Energy of the Department, in accordance with this 

17 section. 

18 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In developing the strategic 

19 plan under this section, the Secretary shall specify ex20 pected timelines for, as applicable— 

21 ‘‘(1) the accomplishment of relevant objectives 

22 under current programs of the Department; or 

23 ‘‘(2) the commencement of new programs to ac24 complish those objectives. 


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1 ‘‘(c) UPDATES.—Not less frequently than once every 

2 2 years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

3 Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 

4 Committees on Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, 

5 and Technology of the House of Representatives an up6 dated 10-year strategic plan in accordance with subsection 

7 (b), which shall identify, and provide a justification for, 

8 any major deviation from a previous strategic plan sub9 mitted under this section.’’. 

10 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—Section 1(b) of the En11 ergy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801 note) is amend12 ed in the table of contents by inserting after the item re13 lating to section 959 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 959A. Nuclear energy strategic plan.’’. 

Æ 


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