Publisher's Note: An earlier version of this article implied that the Union of Concern Scientists supports the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act. It does not and we are sorry for the error.
What could Bill Gates, many environmentalists, and President Trump all agree on?
What kind of legislation could nine Republican senators and six Democratic senators all introduce together?
In short, one of the most important requirements for reducing carbon emissions, bolstering national security, and ensuring critical U.S. technical superiority.
Nuclear energy is that important to our future. It's about to get the boost it deserves.
If you're thinking of the anachronistic power plants we're still running from nearly 50 years ago, think again. What is coming soon is like nothing we've ever seen.
On March 27, the senators reintroduced the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA) with a wide range of goals.
The overall goal is to "reestablish U.S. leadership in nuclear energy" which we've since ceded to Russia and China.
As for specifics, there is some good, but dry, stuff in here:
It aims to define and establish a domestic market for advanced nuclear reactors by extending federal power purchase agreements from 10 years to 40 years.It will encourage much greater collaboration between the federal government, national laboratories, and private industry.A provision directs the Dept. of Energy to establish specific goals and ultimately demonstrate advanced reactors built in partnership with the private sector.The legislation pushes the DoE to develop a 10-year strategic plan, which somehow doesn't exist.It also seeks to specifically boost development of fast neutron reactors and rapid advancements in high-assay low-enriched uranium fuels.
Fast neutron reactors can extract 60 times more energy compared to existing thermal reactors and create significantly less radioactive waste.
As for high-assay low-enriched uranium fuels, they'll be needed in the next generation of reactors that have already been designed and are being planned. This would guarantee a domestic source for the fuels.