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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on 2018 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Budget
Record date · January 1, 2017
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What This Bill Does
The Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development held a hearing to review the proposed $952 million fiscal year 2018 budget for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The discussion focused on the agency's role in overseeing nuclear power safety, the ongoing challenge of nuclear waste disposal, and the licensing of new reactor technologies.
The hearing sets the stage for federal funding of nuclear safety oversight and determines the government's approach to managing nuclear waste, which impacts the operational viability of the nation's 99 commercial nuclear reactors.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Nuclear power plant operators
These entities pay the fees that offset the majority of the NRC's annual budget.
Department of Energy
The agency is responsible for managing nuclear waste and pursuing the Yucca Mountain repository license.
Key Facts
- The proposed fiscal year 2018 budget for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is $952 million.
- The budget represents a $12 million increase over the fiscal year 2017 budget.
- $814 million of the NRC budget is funded through fees paid by licensed utilities and facilities.
- The budget includes $30 million to restart the review of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository license application.
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- The NRC oversees 99 commercial nuclear reactors in the United States.
- Nuclear power currently provides 20 percent of the nation's electricity and over 60 percent of its carbon-free electricity.
- The subcommittee plans to hold four budget hearings during the month of June 2017.
- The hearing identified four priority areas: nuclear waste disposal, license extensions for existing reactors, licensing of advanced/modular reactors, and operational efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the status of the Yucca Mountain project?
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News Coverage
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Discoveries
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Restarting Yucca Mountain Review
The 2018 budget proposal explicitly includes $30 million to restart the licensing review for the Yucca Mountain repository, signaling a potential shift in federal activity regarding the long-stalled project.
Connected Entities
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Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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