Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment

Full Title:
Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill is titled the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment Act of 2026. It changes several federal statutes and creates new Department of Energy (DOE) programs to support testing, demonstration, and commercial deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

Major provisions in the bill include:

  • Changes to the Energy Reorganization Act and the Atomic Energy Act to clarify and expand DOE authority to authorize and regulate certain facilities, including some commercial facilities on Federal land or for Federal purposes. It also makes activities authorized and regulated by DOE subject to the Price-Anderson public liability requirements.
  • A requirement that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission revise certain regulations within 1 year to remove limits on the Secretary of Energy's authority for activities off DOE-owned or DOE-controlled sites.
  • Creation of a Nuclear Energy Launch Pad inside the Office of Nuclear Energy. The Launch Pad will identify Federal and non-Federal sites (Launch Pad Zones) for testing and demonstrating advanced nuclear technologies, solicit eligible private entities by competition, provide basic site infrastructure where practicable, and use flexible agreements (leases, partnership agreements, or other contracts) to grant use of sites. Private entities selected must pay design, construction, operation, and decommissioning costs and may need to provide financial assurance.
  • Direction that the Office of Nuclear Energy administer the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and take necessary actions within 30 days of enactment.
  • Establishment of a Surplus Plutonium for Commercial Reactors Program to select U.S. commercial fabricators to receive and use surplus plutonium in fuel for advanced reactors on a milestone basis. The bill requires termination of the Surplus Plutonium Dilute and Dispose Program (except as needed for safety or unusable material), resumption of HB Line operations at Savannah River Site, transfer of unobligated funds to the Office of Nuclear Energy, and timelines for agreements and material distribution (initial agreements within 180 days, distribution to begin by January 1, 2028, and complete by January 1, 2035). Annual briefings to specified congressional committees are required until the Program is completed.
  • A provision allowing the Secretary to use Federal power marketing administrations to purchase, transmit, or market electricity generated by nuclear facilities, and a clarification that references to Federal power include power marketed by such agencies when they market nuclear-generated electricity.

The bill contains conforming and savings provisions and a rule preserving DOE’s legal obligations to the State of South Carolina.

What it means for you#

  • Private companies developing advanced nuclear technology could be invited to compete for access to Launch Pad Zones on DOE-owned land or approved non-Federal sites for testing and demonstration.
  • Selected private entities are responsible for project costs (design, construction, operation, decommissioning) and may have to provide financial assurance (for example, bonds or letters of credit) in phases tied to project milestones.
  • The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must update certain rules within 1 year to reflect DOE’s expanded authorities.
  • Federal power marketing administrations may buy, transmit, or market electricity from nuclear facilities under their existing authorities.
  • Certain federal programs change: the Surplus Plutonium Dilute and Dispose Program is to be ended (except for safety-related or unusable material), HB Line operations at Savannah River are to resume, and plutonium material distribution to commercial fabricators is scheduled with specific deadlines.
  • The Office of Nuclear Energy will administer the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and the new Launch Pad.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on total federal costs or estimated budget impacts is provided in the bill text. The bill does state that:

  • Eligible private entities shall bear the full costs of design, construction, operation, and decommissioning for projects under the Launch Pad.
  • Unobligated funds previously appropriated for the Surplus Plutonium Dilute and Dispose Program are to be transferred to the Office of Nuclear Energy, except funds needed to finish disposition of previously downblended material.
  • The Assistant Secretary may require financial assurance from private entities to cover potential abandonment, default, or decommissioning costs.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.