Nuclear Research Bill Advances

A committee in the House of Representatives approved legislation last week that seeks to stimulate private investment in advanced nuclear reactor technologies. The bill (H.R. 4084) would direct the Department of Energy to ensure that nuclear researchers have access to the department’s national laboratory complex and its high-end computing and related experimental capabilities. “This legislation enables our talented engineers in the private sector, academia, and at the national labs to develop the next generation of nuclear technology,” says Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Smith chairs the House Science, Space & Technology Committee, which approved the bill unanimously. One provision in the measure supports technology transfer from DOE’s national labs to the private sector. Another enables private firms to partner with the research facilities for the purpose of analyzing novel reactor concepts.