Biden administration launches initiative to support US nuclear power

The Biden administration has announced an initiative to support the development, construction, and operation of new nuclear power reactors.

"To help drive reactor deployment while ensuring ratepayers and project stakeholders are better protected, the administration is announcing the creation of a Nuclear Power Project Management and Delivery working group that will draw on leading experts from across the nuclear and megaproject construction industry to help identify opportunities to proactively mitigate sources of cost and schedule overrun risk," the White House said in a fact sheet released late May 29.

The working group will engage with project developers, engineering, procurement and construction firms, utilities, investors, labor organizations, academics, and non-governmental organizations, the fact sheet said. The group will hear from stakeholders how lessons from previous projects can "translate to cost savings for future construction and deployment," the White House added.

The fact sheet said that "working group members will be made up of federal government entities, including the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, the White House Office of Clean Energy Innovation & Implementation, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Department of Energy."

The administration said it hosted on May 29 "a White House Summit on Domestic Nuclear Deployment, highlighting the collective progress being made from across the public and private sectors."

Also, it said the US Army will soon release a request for information to develop advanced reactors to power multiple domestic Army sites. The fact sheet did not provide further information and no Army statement was posted on its website by press time.

"Taken together, these actions represent the largest sustained push to accelerate civil nuclear deployment in the United States in nearly five decades," the White House said.

The administration emphasized that the president "will continue to take steps to reestablish US leadership in the industry, including continuing to keep existing nuclear plants operational, supporting the demonstration and deployment of advanced reactor technologies, making permitting processes more efficient and effective, securing and expanding the nuclear fuel supply, strengthening nuclear safety, security, and safeguards, and supporting an ambitious strategy to ensure the nation's nuclear leadership."

The fact sheet also detailed ongoing initiatives at DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and national laboratories to support continued operation of the current US fleet of power reactors, nuclear new builds, and assured fuel supply and component supply chains.

Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, said in a May 30 statement that "NEI continues to see strong bipartisan support for the existing nuclear fleet and future nuclear projects, including yesterday's White House Summit on Domestic Nuclear Deployment hosted by the Biden Administration. The announcements made during the summit are further examples of support for clean nuclear energy in the US and abroad."