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Read. Follow. Verify.Advanced Nuclear Feasibility Act (H.R. 4674)
Last action · July 21, 2023: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security.Sponsor: Byron Donalds
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes a federal grant program to help universities, private companies, and local governments study the feasibility of building and operating s. Applicants must be located in states or territories that already have a plan to support advanced nuclear energy deployment.
This bill creates a new federal funding stream for entities to conduct detailed site and economic studies for nuclear projects, potentially accelerating the development of new nuclear energy infrastructure in participating states.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Higher Education Institutions
These institutions are eligible to apply for federal grants to conduct nuclear feasibility research.
State and Local Governments
These entities may apply for grants to study nuclear reactor siting within their jurisdictions.
Private Energy and Infrastructure Companies
Companies, including those operating critical infrastructure like ports or hospitals, are eligible to compete for study funding.
Key Facts
- The Secretary of Energy is required to establish a competitive grant program for feasibility studies on siting, constructing, and operating advanced nuclear reactors.
- Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, private companies (including airport/port/hospital operators), and state or local governments.
- Applicants must be located in a state or territory that has an existing plan to advance the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors.
- Grant applications must be submitted within 180 days of the bill's enactment.
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- The Secretary must announce grant recipients on the Department of Energy website within 270 days of enactment.
- The program mandates geographic distribution, aiming to award at least one grant per eligible state and territory.
- Priority is given to applicants who certify they will pursue further pre-licensing activities after completing the feasibility study.
- Feasibility studies may cover electricity demand, transmission capacity, environmental impacts, licensing requirements, economic cost-benefit analysis, and decommissioning plans.
- The Secretary must submit a report to Congress within 60 days of selecting grant recipients, detailing the selections, reasoning, and study timelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for these nuclear feasibility grants?
What does the feasibility study need to cover?
Does this bill guarantee funding for nuclear projects?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
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Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Pre-Licensing
The bill explicitly prioritizes applicants who commit to pursuing further pre-licensing activities, signaling a legislative intent to move beyond mere study into active project development.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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