Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-452
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2023-02-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Electric power generation and transmission
Employment and training programs
Energy research
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Higher education
Infrastructure development
Licensing and registrations
Lighting, heating, cooling
Nuclear power
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-15
text: 

Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023

 
 This bill establishes new programs and expands existing programs to increase domestic supplies of certain types of low-enriched uranium.
 
 First, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to increase the production of certain types of low-enriched uranium by U.S. nuclear energy companies.
 
 Second, DOE must expand the existing American Assured Fuel Supply Program to ensure the availability of certain types of domestically produced uranium in the event of a supply disruption. 
 
Third, DOE must establish a demonstration program to make certain types of low-enriched uranium available from its inventories, stockpiles, or allies to meet the needs and schedules of advanced nuclear reactor developers until such time that commercial enrichment and deconversion capability for the uranium exists in the United States at a scale sufficient to meet future needs. 

action_date: 2023-07-11
text: 

Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023

 
This bill establishes new programs and expands existing programs to increase domestic supplies of certain types of low-enriched uranium (LEU) for nuclear energy and establishes related requirements.
 
 Specifically, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to increase the production of certain types of LEU, including high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) used by advanced reactors, by U.S. nuclear energy companies.
 
 DOE must also establish a demonstration program to make HALEU available from its inventories or stockpiles and allied countries to meet the needs and schedules of advanced nuclear reactor developers until such time that commercial enrichment and deconversion capability for the uranium exists in the United States at a scale sufficient to meet future needs. 
 
In addition, DOE must expand the existing American Assured Fuel Supply Program to ensure the availability of uranium, including HALEU, from domestic sources or allies in the event of a supply disruption. Under the expansion, DOE must merge its Uranium Reserve Program with the American Assured Fuel Supply Program. Under the expanded program, DOE must utilize only uranium produced, converted, enriched, deconverted, and reduced in the United States or an allied country. DOE must also maintain a limited reserve of uranium.
 
The bill also expands DOE's Advanced Nuclear Technologies Federal Research, Development, and Demonstration Program established under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to include financial assistance for the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and associated supply chain infrastructure.
 
It also revises and reauthorizes through FY2027 DOE's nuclear traineeship subprogram.
 
Finally, the bill modifies the USEC Privatization Act to (1) limit the amount of LEU that may be imported into the United States through 2027, and (2) prohibit the importation of unirradiated LEU (i.e., uranium that has not been in a reactor) that is produced in Russia or by a Russian entity. It also prohibits importing LEU obtained in a manner designed to circumvent such prohibition. DOE may waive such prohibitions if it is in the national interest or there is no alternative viable source of LEU available to sustain the continued operation of a nuclear reactor or a U.S. nuclear energy company. Any waiver issued must terminate by January 1, 2028

.

 The modifications to such act do not apply to imports for national security or nonproliferation purposes, or of non-uranium isotopes. The modifications no longer apply after December 31, 2040.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 124.
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment. With written report No. 118-52.
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin with an amendment. With written report No. 118-52.
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2023-02-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2023-02-15
text: Introduced in Senate