I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3440 
To direct the Department of Energy to support fusion energy innovation, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 4, 2015 
Mr. GRAYSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To direct the Department of Energy to support fusion energy 
innovation, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fusion Innovation Act 
of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FUSION INNOVATION INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office 
of Science of the Department of Energy shall establish a 
Fusion Innovation Initiative. Under the Initiative, the Di-
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rector shall issue a competitive, merit-reviewed funding 
opportunity announcement to solicit proposals for engi-
neering designs for innovative fusion energy systems, in-
cluding upgrades to existing facilities, which have the po-
tential to demonstrate net energy production not later 
than 7 years after the start of construction. 
(b) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—In order to be 
eligible to receive an award under this section, an appli-
cant shall submit an application to the Director that in-
cludes— 
(1) a detailed cost estimate and schedule for 
construction of the design, including a summary of 
any design modifications that would accelerate the 
achievement of net energy production; and 
(2) an assessment of the scalability of the de-
sign. 
(c) AWARD AND DESIGN SUBMISSION.— 
(1) AWARD.—The Director shall review each 
application submitted under subsection (b) and shall 
provide awards to applicants with design concepts 
that the Director considers to have potential based 
on the criteria described in subsection (a). 
(2) DESIGN SUBMISSION.—As a condition of re-
ceiving such award, the Director shall require any 
such applicant to submit the design upon which the 
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application is based to the Director not later than 
18 months after receipt of the award. 
(d) ASSESSMENT.—The Director shall carry out an 
assessment of each design submitted under subsection 
(c)(2) to determine which designs, if any, merit support 
from the Department due to their potential to dem-
onstrate net energy production not later than 7 years after 
the start of construction, and shall— 
(1) submit the assessment to Congress not later 
than 30 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act; and 
(2) assign top priority to, and provide expedited 
financial support (to the extent provided in advance 
in appropriations Acts) for, relevant construction ac-
tivities for any design that the Director determines 
merits such support, based on the project manage-
ment practices of the Office of Science. 
SEC. 3. RESOURCE AND INFORMATION SHARING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To the extent practicable, the Sec-
retary of Energy shall establish open, transparent proc-
esses to share unclassified resources and information that 
will accelerate the advancement of fusion energy tech-
nologies among researchers from the National Labora-
tories, institutions of higher education, and the private 
sector. Such resources and information shall include— 
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SEC. 4. FUSION DEMONSTRATION SITES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Energy, in consultation with the National Laboratories, 
relevant Federal agencies, and stakeholders, shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report assess-
ing the Department of Energy’s capabilities to authorize, 
host, and oversee privately funded fusion prototypes with 
up to 20 megawatts thermal output and related dem-
onstration facilities at sites owned by the Department. 
(b) REPORT ELEMENTS.—The report described in 
subsection (a) shall address the following: 
(1) The Department’s safety review and over-
sight capabilities. 
(2) Potential sites capable of hosting research, 
development, and demonstration of prototype reac-
tors and related facilities, for the purpose of reduc-
ing technical risk. 
(3) The Department’s and the National Lab-
oratories’ existing physical and technical capabilities 
relevant to research, development, and oversight. 
(4) The efficacy of the Department’s available 
contractual mechanisms, including cooperative re-
search and development agreements, work-for-others 
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agreements, and agreements for commercializing 
technology. 
(5) Potential cost structures related to physical 
security, decommissioning, liability, and other long- 
term project costs. 
(6) Other challenges or considerations identified 
by the Secretary, including issues related to poten-
tial cases of demonstration reactors with up to 2 
gigawatts of thermal output. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL LABORATORIES. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘National Laboratories’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). 
Æ 
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