Legislation introduced Wednesday in the Senate to promote new U.S. nuclear power systems also aims to address the problem of radioactive waste produced by that technology.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined 14 colleagues from both parties to reintroduce the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act. The bill was first submitted in September near the tail end of the 115th Congress, but did not get out of committee.
Among the measures in the legislation: The Department of Energy would be directed to by Dec. 31, 2023, establish at least one nuclear power purchase agreement, focusing on “first-of-a-kind or early deployment nuclear technologies”; it would also carry out at least two advanced nuclear reactor design demonstration projects by the end of 2025, and two to five more by the close of 2035.
The attributes of that advanced nuclear technology would include reduced waste yields, the bill says. Goals for the research projects on advanced nuclear technologies would also encompass development of “technologies to manage, reduce, or reuse nuclear waste.”
“Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a program to make available high-assay, low-enriched uranium, through contracts for sale, resale, transfer, or lease, for use in commercial or noncommercial advanced nuclear reactors,” according to the bill. “Each lease under this subsection shall include a provision establishing that the nuclear fuel that is the subject of the lease shall remain the property of the Department, including with respect to responsibility for the final disposition of all radioactive waste created by 5 the irradiation, processing, or purification of any leased uranium.”
