Today a bipartisan group of senators re-introduced the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), which provides a shot in the arm for entrepreneurs working on advanced nuclear technologies. With luck, it will become law. But while the bill is a big step toward commercializing advanced reactors, it’s not enough. More legislation will likely be needed to stimulate the market demand necessary to deploy significant new nuclear to replace fossil fuels.
Since Breakthrough became interested in nuclear energy around 2010, the consensus in favor of protecting existing nuclear plants has only grown. Even big environmental groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists have recognized that we need to keep existing plants open. Yet many still believe that new nuclear is out of the question in the US and Europe and dismiss advanced nuclear as only existing on paper or at national labs.
We disagree. Our research shows how smarter innovation policy could accelerate the commercialization of advanced designs. While there is a clear precedent for such a policy — in commercial spaceflight, for example — many have doubted that a big, ambitious federal program for nuclear energy is feasible in today’s political climate. The passage of NELA could disrupt that narrative.
NELA kick-starts several programs that aim to actually get some advanced nuclear built before 2025. It includes commercial demonstrations of 2-5 advanced reactors, a pilot program for federal Power Purchase Agreements, and direction for developing an interim supply of the higher-enriched fuel needed for many advanced reactor concepts.