Nuclear Power 2021 Act

Bill: 111-s-2812
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2009-11-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Licensing and registrations
Nuclear power
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2009-11-20
text: 
Nuclear Power 2021 Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to instruct the Secretary of Energy to implement, through cooperative agreements with private sector partners, programs to: (1) develop a standard design for each of two small modular reactors, at least one of which has a rated capacity of not more than 50 electrical megawatts; (2) obtain a design certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for each of the designs by January 1, 2018; and (3) demonstrate the licensing of small modular reactors by developing applications for a combined license for each of the designs so certified, and obtaining a combined license from the NRC for each of the certified designs by January 1, 2021.
 
Requires the Secretary to select proposals for such cooperative agreements through the use of competitive procedures and an impartial review of their scientific and technical merit.

action_date: 2010-09-27
text: 
 Nuclear Power 2021 Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to instruct the Secretary of Energy to implement, through cooperative agreements with private sector partners, programs to: (1) develop a standard design for each of two small modular reactors (at least one of which has a maximum rated capacity of 50 electrical megawatts); (2) obtain design certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for each of the two standard designs by January 1, 2018; (3) demonstrate the licensing of small modular reactors by developing applications for a combined license for each of the NRC-certified designs and obtaining a combined license from the NRC for each of the certified designs by January 1, 2021, and (4) obtain an early site permit for two sites for one or more small modular reactors.
 
Requires the Secretary to select proposals for such cooperative agreements through the use of competitive procedures and an impartial review of their scientific and technical merit, taking into account the efficiency, cost, safety, and proliferation resistance of competing reactor designs.
 
Directs the Secretary to require that a non-federal source provide at least: (1) 50% of the development cost of each small modular reactor design and each early site permit; and (2) 75% of the licensing demonstration costs of each small modular reactor design.
 

 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 600.
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-314.
action_date: 2010-09-27
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. With written report No. 111-314.
action_date: 2010-07-21
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2009-12-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 111-375.
action_date: 2009-11-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11885)
action_date: 2009-11-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11884-11885)
action_date: 2009-11-20
text: Introduced in Senate