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Experts say nuclear energy bill is proof of bipartisan consensus

Zack Budryk
Thu, August 1, 2024



The recent passage of major legislation to boost the deployment of nuclear reactors is evidence of a bipartisan consensus on nuclear power as an opportunity to keep pace with China on renewable energy, experts said Thursday at a panel discussion with The Hill.

The ADVANCE Act, which President Biden signed into law in July, passed the Senate 88-2. It directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to explore methods of quickening the licensing process for new nuclear technology, as well as streamlining the Energy Department’s technology export process.

The bipartisan vote on the legislation indicates “members of both parties are looking to build on decades of innovation and … create this new opportunity to build new gigawatt-scale clean energy facilities in the United States,” said Lesley Jantarasami, managing director of energy programs at the Bipartisan Policy Center


Jantarasami made the remarks at “The Nuclear Frontier: Securing America’s Energy Future,” which was hosted by The Hill and sponsored by The Nuclear Company. The discussion was moderated by Rafael Bernal, a staff writer at The Hill. Bob Cusack, The Hill’s editor-in-chief, moderated a separate conversation during the event.

“There’s a lot going on today in recognition of the fact that we are moving toward modernizing our economy, towards building a new energy economy that needs to be centered around clean energy and that nuclear is a foundational piece of that portfolio,” Jantarasami said.

Jantarasami added that widespread interest exists within industry and utilities in deploying new nuclear technology, but the process has been stymied by anxiety about the pressure of being “first out of the gate.”

Panelists also emphasized that there is not a binary choice between a more efficient licensing and approval process and cutting corners on safety. Former Deputy Energy Secretary Mark W. Menezes, president and CEO of the U.S. Energy Association, pointed to reforms at the Food and Drug Administration that reduced the approval timeline as an example of how a balance could be struck.

“This is not about cutting corners [or] creating a process that isn’t diligent,” Jantarasami added, saying there have been “misconceptions around speeding up a process and not doing as much due diligence—we can do both those things.”

Maria Korsnick, CEO at the Nuclear Energy Institute, added that it “isn’t the conversation we had in the 70s and 80s anymore,” when incidents like the Chernobyl disaster and the Three Mile Island accident led to widespread fears around nuclear power.

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Construction of next-gen nuclear reactor ‘Hermes’ begins in Oak Ridge
Gregory Raucoules
Wed, July 31, 2024 

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — Work has begun to build a next-generation nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, marking the latest development in the city’s noted nuclear legacy.

Site work and excavation began earlier this month at the former site of the K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Process Building. It will eventually house the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor, the first and only Gen IV reactor to be approved for construction by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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Hermes is the first nuclear build by Kairos Power. The company has committed to invest at least $100 million and create 55+ high-paying, full-time jobs in East Tennessee to support Hermes’ construction and operation.

Officials are targeting an operational date in 2027.

Workers started excavation at the Hermes site in Oak Ridge on July 17, 2024 (Photo via Kairos Power)


Workers started excavation at the Hermes site in Oak Ridge on July 17, 2024 (Photo via Kairos Power)

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Scientists envision Gen IV reactors eventually succeeding those that are currently in operation, most of which are considered second or third-generation reactors. Hermes will be the first non-light-water reactor (non-LWR) to be permitted in the U.S. in over 50 years. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulator Commission, non-LWRs use different technologies from existing reactors such as passive safety features, different fuels or coolants, or scaling the entire reactor smaller.

The fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor will not produce electricity. It will demonstrate the ability to produce affordable nuclear heat, which can be used for a variety of industrial applications.

Kairos Power CEO Mike Laufer told 6 News in 2021 that the technology used for Hermes would create a safer environment compared to the nuclear sources we have now.

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“Such a power plant will not have a meltdown if it has an accident,” State Rep. John Ragen (R-Oak Ridge) said in 2021. “It would have a freeze-up. While it would destroy the reactor, it wouldn’t be a big particularly problem for those around it.”

The U.S. Department of Energy will invest up to $303 million in the project to support Hermes’ design, construction, and commissioning. Kairos Power has also established a cooperative development agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide engineering, operations, and licensing support for Hermes.

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“Hermes is a pivotal step toward deploying advanced reactor technology with the potential to transform our energy landscape,” said Laufer. “The lessons we take away from the construction and operation of this reactor will be invaluable to enable continued innovation in our testing program and accelerate Kairos Power’s progress toward delivering true cost certainty to our customers.”

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc

Watch Live: The Nuclear Frontier, Securing America’s Energy Future

The Hill + The Nuclear Company
Thu, August 1, 2024






America’s energy future is shining a little brighter after the recent passage of the bipartisan ADVANCE Act to bolster U.S. nuclear power production.

The new law seeks to broaden how America generates power, creating a more resilient infrastructure to meet the surging energy demands driven by data centers, electric vehicles and reshored factories.

The law isn’t without its critics or competition. Concerns have been raised about potential safety issues and challenges related to nuclear waste.

Others argue the new law doesn’t go nearly far enough to catch up to the likes of India or China as they far outpace the U.S. in building nuclear reactors.

In China alone, there are 27 nuclear reactors currently under development.

The debate going forward is where the U.S. goes from here.

Join The Hill as we convene clean energy experts, and executives to answer questions about nuclear power’s potential role in meeting electricity demands, and how the regulatory process might be changed while protecting safety and the environment.

DATE & TIME
Thursday, August 1
8:30 AM ET Programming begins
9:30 AM ET Programming concludes

Speakers:

Mark W. Menezes, President & Chief Executive Officer, United States Energy Association; Former Deputy Energy Secretary


Maria Korsnick, CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute


Lesley Jantarasami, Managing Director, Energy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center

Moderators:

Bob Cusack, Editor in Chief, The Hill


Rafael Bernal, Political Reporter, The Hill

Sponsor Perspective: (in conversation with Joe Ruffolo, SVP & General Manager, The Hill)

Juliann Edwards, Chief Development Officer, The Nuclear Company

Have a question? Reach us on social media @TheHillEvents using #TheHillEnergy

Sponsor:


The Nuclear Company is a fleet-scale nuclear development company using proven technology to construct a series of nuclear power plants across America. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. Learn more at thenuclearcompany.com.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved.