Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee complete actions on Nuclear Title
Thank your Senators on this Committee for their action on the Nuclear Title last week. Prepare Senate Members to combat efforts to strike nuclear provisions when the Energy Bill reaches the Senate floor in early May.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), marked up the nuclear energy-related provisions of the comprehensive energy bill on Thursday, April 10. The draft committee bill includes several proposed provisions related to nuclear power, science and technology. A copy of the draft can be found at http://energy.senate.gov/.
Information for contacting your individual Senators can be found at www.senate.gov.
Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee members are listed below.
Nuclear Provisions
Within the Nuclear Matters Title (Title IV), the bill would:
- Extend indefinitely the authorization period for the indemnification provisions for NRC licensees and DOE contractors (Price-Anderson reauthorization).
- Allow the Secretary of Energy to provide financial assistance to supplement private sector financing for new nuclear plants if it is determined the plant is necessary to contribute to energy security, fuel or technology diversity or clean air attainment goals. Financial assistance shall not exceed 50 percent of the project costs; financial assistance means a line of credit, secured loan, loan guarantee, purchase agreement or some combination. Regulations to implement this section are required within one year of enactment.
- Direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Advanced Reactor Hydrogen Co-Generation project. The project shall include research, development, design, construction and operation of a hydrogen production co-generation system using an advanced reactor. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab (INEEL) would be the lead laboratory for the project.
- The Nuclear Energy Research Initiative, the Nuclear Energy Plant Optimization Program, the Nuclear Power 2010 Program, the Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative, the Reactor Production of Hydrogen, and Nuclear Infrastructure Support are all authorized for federal funds
- Additionally, the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative is authorized separately as is the University Nuclear Science and Engineering Support.
Senate Energy Committee Members
Chairman Pete V. Domenici - New Mexico
Mary L. Landrieu - Louisiana
Lisa Murkowski - Alaska
Jeff Bingaman - New Mexico
Evan Bayh - Indiana
James M. Talent - Missouri
Daniel K. Akaka - Hawaii
Dianne Feinstein - California
Conrad Burns - Montana
Byron Dorgan - North Dakota
Charles Schumer - New York
Gordon Smith - Oregon
Bob Graham - Florida
Maria Cantwell - Washington
Jim Bunning - Kentucky
Ron Wyden - Oregon
Craig Thomas - Wyoming
Jon Kyl - Arizona
Tim Johnson - South Dakota
Lamar Alexander - Tennessee
Please contact your senator to urge their support for the nuclear provisions of the Energy Bill when it reaches the Senate floor in early May.
Contact Doug Wasitis via e-mail or 202-312-7482 if you have questions.
