H.R. 8611 · 117th Congress · House

National Strategy to Utilize Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act

Active· Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Introduced
Jul 29, 22
Passed House
Pending
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

National Strategy to Utilize Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act

This bill directs the President to develop a national strategy to utilize microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts. A microreactor is a nuclear reactor with at most 20 megawatts of thermal energy generating capacity.

Specifically, such strategy must include

  • an assessment of the effectiveness of utilizing diesel generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts;
  • a comprehensive, research-based, and long-term discussion of goals, objectives, and priorities for utilizing microreactors instead of diesel generators to assist with such efforts;
  • a Department of Defense analysis regarding the use of such microreactors to assist with such efforts;
  • recommendations on how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may expedite the approval of designs for microreactors and issuing licenses;
  • an assessment of the challenges and barriers to deploying microreactors to assist with such efforts and solutions; and
  • recommendations on how to utilize microreactors as charging stations for electric vehicles in the event of a mass evacuation resulting from a natural disaster.