Sponsor:
- Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
Cosponsors:
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
- Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.)
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)
- Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
- Sen. Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.)
- Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
- Sen. Tammy Duckworth (R-Ill.)
- Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.)
- Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.)
- Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.)
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)
- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
- Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
- Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.)
Introduced:
Status:
- Enacted 01/14/2019 (Public Law No: 115-439)
WHAT IT DOES
Directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop a technology-inclusive licensing plan that promotes safety without being prescriptive, while modifying the cost-recovery mechanism so utilities aren’t on the hook for other companies’ technologies.
WHY WE LIKE IT
This is part of a broader effort to “rightsize” the NRC to match its workload and NEIMA wisely prevents the NRC from allowing its annual fees and administrative costs to overwhelm the broader nuclear industry. It would develop the necessary regulatory framework to quicken the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors.
Similar to the bipartisan House NUKE Act, it would limit how much NRC can collect for overhead costs tied to running the agency to ensure adequate funding is spent to develop a regulatory framework for advanced reactors without overcharging. Both bills also both cap fees for existing reactors at 2016 levels.
View the full text of S. 512