I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8674 
To establish milestone-based development and demonstration projects relating 
to nuclear fuel, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 7, 2024 
Mr. WILLIAMS of New York (for himself and Mr. SORENSEN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology 
A BILL 
To establish milestone-based development and demonstration 
projects relating to nuclear fuel, 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 ‘‘Milestones for Ad-
vanced Nuclear Fuel Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MILESTONE-BASED DEVELOPMENT AND DEM-
ONSTRATION PROJECTS. 
(a) MILESTONE-BASED DEVELOPMENT
AND DEM-
ONSTRATION PROGRAM.—The Nuclear Fuel Security Act 
of 2023 (enacted as section 3131 of subtitle C of title 
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XXXI of division C of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), 
and (10) as paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (7) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(8) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘Na-
tional Laboratory’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801).’’. 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(q) APPLICATION OF CERTAIN MILESTONE-BASED 
DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
milestone-based advanced fuel cycle technologies de-
velopment and demonstration projects in accordance 
with section 9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42 
U.S.C. 7256c; enacted as part of title IX of division 
Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) in 
carrying out the Nuclear Fuel Security Program and 
the HALEU for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Dem-
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onstration Projects Program (established pursuant 
to subsection (e), and carried out in accordance with 
subsections (f) and (h), respectively) in the same 
manner and to the same extent as such section 9005 
applies to section 846(g) of the Department of En-
ergy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7256(g)). 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—In carrying out milestone- 
based advanced fuel cycle technologies development 
and demonstration projects referred to in paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall support the development and 
demonstration of an economically competitive, nu-
clear fuel supply chain by not later than three years 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection 
that includes domestic uranium production, conver-
sion, enrichment, deconversion, and waste reduction 
for advanced fuels, such as HALEU and other ad-
vanced nuclear reactor fuels, for the following: 
‘‘(A) Department research, development, 
and demonstration projects for advanced nu-
clear reactors, including civilian research and 
experimental reactors. 
‘‘(B) Advanced nuclear reactors. 
‘‘(C) Strategic radioactive and stable iso-
topes producers, such as energy, medical, space- 
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based heating and power, and national security 
application, and for basic research. 
‘‘(D) Interagency and intra-agency part-
nerships and collaborations, including with the 
National Laboratories, the Advanced Research 
Projects Agency-Energy, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, the Depart-
ment of Defense, and other relevant Federal 
and State departments and agencies, as deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY.—Any associated entity is eli-
gible to participate in the projects under this sub-
section if the Secretary has determined such entity 
has the necessary resources and expertise. In select-
ing eligible associated entities, the Secretary shall 
select, to the maximum extent practicable, associated 
entities that— 
‘‘(A) prioritize novel technologies and proc-
esses; 
‘‘(B) utilize technologies and processes 
that reduce nonproliferation risks; and 
‘‘(C) leverage matching funds from non- 
Federal sources. 
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out such 
projects, the Secretary shall consult with developers 
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of advanced nuclear reactors and owners and opera-
tors of electric utilities to review proposed technical 
and financial milestones and assist in the develop-
ment of such milestones. 
‘‘(5) SELECTION.—For the associated entities 
selected under this subsection, the following condi-
tions shall apply: 
‘‘(A) Consistent with the existing authori-
ties of the Department, the Secretary may ter-
minate an agreement with a selected associated 
entity for cause during the performance period. 
‘‘(B) Support under this subsection may 
not be used to cover any costs or reimburse-
ment of expenses that are covered by Federal 
funding provided through other support, includ-
ing awards. 
‘‘(6) APPLICATIONS.—A project proposal sub-
mitted under this subsection shall be evaluated 
based upon the scientific, technical, and business 
merits of such proposal, including consideration of 
waste management benefits, through a peer-review 
process, which shall include reviewers with appro-
priate expertise from the private sector, electric utili-
ties, the investment community, and nuclear fuel 
and supply chain experts. 
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‘‘(7) PROJECT MANAGEMENT.—In carrying out 
projects under this subsection and assessing the 
completion of the milestones developed pursuant to 
paragraph (4), the Secretary shall consult with nu-
clear fuel and supply experts representing diverse 
perspectives and professional experiences, including 
developers of advanced nuclear reactor owners and 
operators of electric utilities, to ensure a complete 
and thorough review. 
‘‘(8) ANNUAL BRIEFING.—As part of the an-
nual budget request submitted for each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall provide the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate a briefing describ-
ing the selected projects under this subsection dur-
ing the previous fiscal year, the benefits and draw-
backs of milestone-based projects as compared to 
traditional project structure funding models, and les-
sons-leaned from project operations.’’. 
(b) NUCLEAR FUEL RECYCLING AND VIABILITY TO 
SUPPORT EXISTING AND FUTURE REACTORS.—Section 
953 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16273) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
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‘‘(c) 
MILESTONE-BASED
DEMONSTRATIONS 
PROJECTS.—The Secretary shall carry out demonstration 
projects under this section as a milestone-based dem-
onstration project in the same manner and to the same 
extent as under section 9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 
(42 U.S.C. 7256c; enacted as part of title IX of division 
Z of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021), with pri-
ority placed on awarding milestone-based awards to 
projects that increase domestic fabrication and recycling 
capacity of spent nuclear fuel for advanced fuels. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the date of the enactment of this subsection, the 
Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Nu-
clear Energy, shall complete and make publicly available 
a study that analyzes the practicability, potential benefits, 
including relating to waste reduction through separation 
of high- and low-level waste or utilization of transuranic 
materials, and estimated lifecycle costs of the following: 
‘‘(1) Dedicated recycling facilities, and co-loca-
tion with other nuclear energy infrastructure, that 
utilize spent nuclear fuel from existing nuclear reac-
tors and future advanced nuclear reactors into usa-
ble nuclear fuel for the following: 
‘‘(A) Commercial light water reactors. 
‘‘(B) Advanced nuclear reactors. 
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ble isotopes needed for domestic and international 
use, including for the following: 
‘‘(A) Advanced nuclear reactors. 
‘‘(B) 
Medical, 
industrial, 
space-based 
power, and nuclear battery applications. 
‘‘(C) Such other applications as deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(5) Commercial associated entities acquiring 
spent fuel from operating or shutdown reactors and 
any contract or policy revisions that could better fa-
cilitate such transactions. 
‘‘(6) Private sector associated entities that take 
title of spent nuclear fuel from commercial nuclear 
reactor sites for any of the following: 
‘‘(A) Research or reuse. 
‘‘(B) Recycling. 
‘‘(C) Strategic radioactive or stable isotope 
extraction. 
‘‘(7) Comprehensive cost-benefit analysis associ-
ated with spent fuel recycling, including consider-
ations of net reduction in spent fuel inventory, sepa-
ration of high- and low-level waste with new storage 
requirements, disposal of byproducts from spent fuel 
recycling, supply chain impacts, and list of indus-
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tries that would benefit from spent fuel recycling by-
products. 
‘‘(8) Policy, legal, or regulatory changes to sup-
port the safe and secure development and deploy-
ment of recycling and waste utilizing reactor tech-
nologies, and any impacts such changes would have 
on domestic storage of spent nuclear fuel and dis-
posal through the recycling of spent nuclear fuel.’’. 
Æ 
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