U.S. House discusses new nuclear reactors, permitting reform bills

CEOs, university and lab directors testify: The energy subcommittee’s hearing included five invited guests: Oak Ridge National Laboratory associate lab director for fusion and fission energy science Joe Hoagland, Valar Atomics CEO Isaiah Taylor, Aalo Atomics CEO Matt Loszak, North Carolina State University Nuclear Engineering Department Head Steven Shannon, and Antares Nuclear CEO Jordan Bramble.

The five had the opportunity to tout some of the successes and challenges they have dealt with in their respective roles in industry, academics, and research. Unsurprisingly, the three CEOs devoted some of their time to recounting their respective start-ups’ test reactors achieving criticality on or before a July 4 deadline through the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program (RPP).

“Nuclear is a part of our past and it is integral to our future. It is the energy technology that will power AI, will take us to other planets, revolutionize manufacturing, and drastically reduce the cost of a fundamental civilizational input,” Taylor told the subcommittee.

Bramble called the pilot program “an unequivocal success.” Through its involvement in the RPP, the Antares team learned plenty about its Mark-0 reactor project, he said. The process validated its reactor physics, control systems, fuel handling capabilities, and taught the company about the authorization process and supply chain options. It also taught Antares how to partner with government and research communities through the collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory and DOE’s Idaho Operations Office.

“When government and industry align on execution rather than process alone, hardware moves in months while safety remains paramount,” Bramble said.

Loszak urged Congress to address three items: make the RPP a “durable pathway” for advanced reactor projects, ensure demonstration data gathered under DOE oversight can be credited or adopted in Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing, and revitalize the domestic nuclear fuel cycle.

“America pioneered much of the world’s nuclear technology, and we now have an opportunity to lead again,” he added.

Shannon, meanwhile, urged Congress to support higher education programs in and around nuclear. The nuclear engineering program he graduated from decades earlier had nine students, he said. Fast forward to today, and the nuclear engineering program he oversees at NCSU recently enrolled more than 100 students—more than twice the number enrolled only three years ago.

“That enthusiasm is real and it is fragile. We cannot afford to let the momentum of this moment outrun our capacity to educate and train these students,” Shannon said. “Sustained investment in faculty, facilities, and research funding is not optional—it is the foundation.”

Committee OKs nuclear bills: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce marked up 10 bills on Wednesday, including six nuclear permitting reform bills that garnered attention earlier in the summer. The committee advanced all six bipartisan pieces of legislation to the House floor by unanimous roll call votes.

• The Nuclear Recycling Efficient Fuels Utilizing Expedited Licensing (REFUEL) Act clarifies that certain nuclear fuel recycling facilities can be licensed under regulatory frameworks used in other types of fuel facilities instead of as production facilities.
• The American Enrichment Deployment Act updates the licensing procedures for uranium enrichment facilities, aligning the licensing of these facilities with other fuel cycle facilities. It also allows for construction to begin prior to licensing.
• The Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act would make uncontested hearings the NRC conducts in its licensing reviews optional instead of mandatory.
• The Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act updates the role of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in the licensing and oversight of nuclear reactor facilities.
• The NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act would seek to better compensate NRC staff and give the NRC a better chance to compete against the private nuclear industry sector for workers.
• The Department of Energy Nuclear Transparency Act would require greater transparency from the DOE in its authorization of reactors.