Newhouse unveils proposal to modernize nation’s nuclear power plants

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) on March 5 unveiled a bipartisan bill that would authorize a program to expand research for a variety of commercial nuclear reactors at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would bring the nation’s existing nuclear power plants into the next century.

“As the United States continues to lead in reducing carbon emissions, nuclear energy will play a critical role,” Rep. Newhouse said. “Key investments in this bill will create a strong pathway forward for nuclear research and innovation and will create jobs in communities like ours in Central Washington.”

Rep. Newhouse is the lead original cosponsor of the Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act, H.R. 6097, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA), which would direct the DOE secretary to carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application to support the modernization and improvement of existing operating nuclear power plants, according to the text of the bill.

Specifically, the program would address reliability; capacity; component aging; safety; physical security and security costs; plant lifetime; operations and maintenance costs, including by utilizing risk-informed systems analysis; the ability for plants to operate flexibly; nuclear hybrid energy system applications; efficiency; environmental impacts; and resilience, according to the bill’s text.

If enacted, H.R. 6097 also would encourage the development of new, advanced reactor designs and fund training programs for the next generation of engineers, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Newhouse’s office.

“We need nuclear energy now, and we will need it in the future,” said Rep. Lamb. “This bill helps us save today’s jobs and create more for tomorrow.”

The U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy is set to mark up H.R. 6097 on March 12.

The measure is supported by the Nuclear Energy Institute, ClearPath Action, Third Way, and BPC Action.