Photo: Andy Feliciotti, UnsplashPhoto: Andy Feliciotti, UnsplashUnited States
House passes two nuclear bills on reactor licensing and fuel recycling
The measures aim to streamline nuclear licensing and open new fuel recycling pathways, which could affect the nuclear supply chain and energy planning.
What happened
The bill, introduced by Republican Tennessee Representative Diana Harshbarger, would update the responsibilities of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, which advises the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Representative Diana Harshbarger Harshbarger said the bill is intended to focus the committee's expertise on novel, safety-significant issues rather than matters already resolved elsewhere in the regulatory process. Representative Diana Harshbarger The House also passed the Nuclear Recycling Efficient Fuels Utilizing Expedited Licensing (REFUEL) Act on Monday. NAM The REFUEL Act would amend the Atomic Energy Act to exclude advanced fuel recycling technologies from the definition of production facility as long as the process does not separate plutonium from other transuranium elements. NAM The National Association of Manufacturers supported the REFUEL Act, which it described as bipartisan. NAM The NAM said streamlined licensing would help secure the nuclear fuel supply chain and help manage stored spent nuclear fuel. NAM
Around it
The NAM said manufacturers use one-third of America's energy and that the industry's growth requires new sources of reliable, clean, abundant and safe power. NAM Finding solutions for managing spent nuclear fuel has been a longstanding challenge for policymakers. NAM
Sources
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