Recently, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, along with Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and a bipartisan group of their colleagues, introduced legislation to boost the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies, and put America on a path to be the undisputed international leader for nuclear energy.
Here’s what a range of supporters, including industry stakeholders, business organizations, and environment and energy advocates are saying about the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023:
Nuclear Energy Institute President and Chief Executive Officer, Maria Korsnick: “Significant actions at the federal and state levels have provided unprecedented support for both existing and new nuclear at a time when remarkable leaps are already happening to expand nuclear programs. This new landscape has contributed to skyrocketing demand for nuclear energy. According to the Department of Energy, U.S. domestic nuclear capacity has the potential to triple by 2050, from 100 GW today to 300 GW, driven by the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies. As this demand grows and new technologies move from design to demonstration to deployment, NEI applauds the introduction of the ADVANCE Act, as it initiates important steps necessary for the US to reestablish our leadership on advanced nuclear globally. Thank you to Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Capito, Senator Whitehouse, and other members of the Senate for introducing this important legislation to provide federal support for the deployment of nuclear technologies needed to meet America’s energy security and climate goals.”
American Nuclear Society (ANS) CEO and Executive Director, Craig Piercy: “On behalf of America’s nuclear professional community, we applaud the introduction of the bipartisan ADVANCE Act. We have witnessed historic levels of public and private investments in new nuclear energy technologies that are essential to reducing emissions and ensuring the reliability and resiliency of our energy grid. However, successful commercial development of these technologies will require a modernized system of licensing and regulation. The ADVANCE Act would give our regulators new tools to accelerate the licensing of next-generation nuclear technologies while reducing regulatory costs and hurdles.”
Third Way Senior Vice President for Climate and Energy, Josh Freed: “We need advanced nuclear to provide the clean energy our power and industrial sectors need, and to help our allies have clean, secure energy. Advanced nuclear, however, will only get commercialized if the US removes the economic barriers for the reactors to get licensed and built here, and we help our allies import them. The ADVANCE Act, led by Senators Whitehouse and Capito, offers a pragmatic, bipartisan step to address these challenges.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute President, Marty Durbin: “The “Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2023” (ADVANCE Act) would revitalize domestic nuclear energy supply chain infrastructure and build on recent nuclear energy regulatory reforms. This legislation supports continued commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies, including the redevelopment of fossil-fuel sites to support nuclear. It also addresses long-standing federal permitting issues by establishing a framework for conducting nuclear application and design reviews in an efficient, predictable manner with a reasonable timeline. We thank Senator Capito, Senator Whitehouse, Chairman Carper, and the bill’s bipartisan co-sponsors for their leadership.”
Clean Air Task Force Nuclear Policy Manager, Jon-Michael Murray: “We applaud Senate leaders for their commitment to strengthening the U.S. nuclear energy sector by introducing the ADVANCE Act. This legislation is a welcome step toward creating a supportive policy environment where nuclear energy can expedite the clean energy transition and promote global energy security. Included in the bill are much needed measures that enhance processes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, improve the prospects for coal to nuclear projects, and streamline civil nuclear exports, all which will help manage climate change and provide reliable, 24/7, carbon-free energy.”
Clean Air Task Force U.S. Federal Policy Director, Evan Chapman: “The complexity of achieving economy-wide decarbonization requires a diverse set of solutions, and nuclear energy has an important role to play. The bipartisan ADVANCE Act would build on action taken through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to preserve and expand the United States’ nuclear energy capacity. Doing so would help meet growing energy demand while moving the U.S. closer to achieving its climate goals. It’s an exciting step forward and we stand ready to work with Congress to make this legislation as strong as possible.”
ClearPath Action Chief Executive Officer, Rich Powell: “Ensuring the United States has a robust nuclear energy infrastructure is a win-win for energy security and lowering global carbon dioxide emissions. The ADVANCE Act supports the next generation of reactor technologies we will need to maintain global energy leadership.”
Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) Executive Director, Judi Greenwald: “The introduction of the ADVANCE Act is further evidence of the growing interest in advanced nuclear energy technologies. This bill, if passed, would be another step forward in advanced nuclear innovation and help re-establish American international competitiveness and global leadership in nuclear energy. NIA recognizes the need to revitalize the domestic nuclear supply chain, strengthen the pipeline of the next generation nuclear workforce, and assist advanced reactor developers with the licensing of their technologies. This bill will help meet those needs, and it demonstrates the need for advanced nuclear energy to be part of the mix for the U.S. to meet mid-century climate goals.”
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action Executive Director, Michele Stockwell: “BPC Action applauds Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on the introduction of the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2023 (ADVANCE Act). This bill will help accelerate the licensing of advanced nuclear reactor technology, bolster the current nuclear fleet, and reassert U.S. commitment to international nuclear development. Clean and reliable nuclear energy is essential to advancing America’s energy and national security interests and achieving our environmental goals. The bill also outlines a licensing pathway for nuclear power plants constructed at retired or retiring fossil-fuel power plants, which helps pave the way for a coal-to-nuclear transition that a recent BPC report found could provide a net increase of more than 650 jobs to the region and decrease nuclear construction costs by up to 35%. The ADVANCE ACT supports American leadership on the cutting edge of nuclear energy development and increases economic opportunity.”
Good Energy Collective Deputy Director, Jackie Toth: “The ADVANCE Act achieves what nuclear legislation always should: It balances environmental justice to address legacy harms of nuclear activities with policies to support the future adoption of innovative advanced reactors. This bill would advance restorative justice for tribal communities still bearing the health effects of abandoned uranium mines by authorizing new funding for clean-ups. It would explore ways to reinvigorate brownfields with new nuclear facilities, while supporting towns facing economic hardships from the decommissioning of reactors. And it would further enable U.S. leadership in climate diplomacy by tightening interagency coordination on the export of civil nuclear technologies. We’re thrilled to see progressive nuclear champions like Sens. Whitehouse and Booker as original cosponsors of this legislation and equally appreciate the support of Chairman Carper.”
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES): “C2ES is proud to support the ADVANCE Act, which will help maintain and expand our use of carbon-free and emissions-free nuclear energy.”
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions President, Heather Reams: “Nuclear energy plays a critical role in the United States’ energy future. By securing a reliable domestic nuclear energy supply chain and responsible development of new nuclear technologies, we can ensure access to this carbon-free, baseload energy resource for generations to come. CRES applauds Senators Capito, Carper, and Whitehouse for leading this bipartisan effort to strengthen our nuclear energy industry and our clean energy future.”
The Nature Conservancy’s North America Climate Mitigation Program Director, Jason Albritton: “We applaud this bipartisan plan to ensure that carbon-free energy from next-generation nuclear plants is available to meet the challenge of climate change. This legislation will support the development of safe, advanced nuclear technologies and make a significant investment in cleaning up legacy pollution on Tribal lands.”
Full text of the ADVANCE Act (S.1111) can be found here.
A one-pager can be found here.
A handout on the legislation can be found here.
Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
