HR2813-119

What This Bill Does

The Small Modular Reactor Commercialization Act updates federal SMR definitions and commercialization policy. It amends the Atomic Energy Act Price-Anderson modular reactor reference from 300,000 electrical kilowatts and 1,300,000 combined electrical kilowatts to 500,000 and 1,500,000, respectively, and changes the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act small modular reactor output reference from 300 to 500 megawatts. NRC and DOE must revise guidance to match the bill's definitions: microreactors are advanced nuclear reactors under 50 electrical megawatts, and small modular reactors are advanced reactors under 500 electrical megawatts that can be constructed and operated with similar reactors at one site. DOE may not exclude grid-scale SMR projects from funding solely because a unit exceeds a threshold between 50 and 500 megawatts. The bill also creates a DOE-chaired working group with DOE, Defense, State, Commerce, Interior, Treasury, NRC, national labs as appropriate, and other members to identify SMR designs, improve U.S. commercialization, attract manufacturing investment, assess workforce readiness, set research objectives, and report annually by December 1 through 2030.

Who Benefits and How

Small modular reactor developers benefit because projects up to 500 megawatts are protected from exclusion based only on output thresholds. Advanced nuclear manufacturers benefit from a working group focused on U.S. fabrication, industrial-base investment, and cost-reduction research. DOE nuclear programs benefit from clearer authority to fund grid-scale SMR development, demonstration, and deployment. Communities seeking nuclear industrial investment benefit if the working group helps attract long-term SMR manufacturing in the United States.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Energy must revise guidance, administer funding eligibility, chair the working group, and submit annual reports through 2030. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must align guidance and participate in commercialization assessments. Competing energy technologies may face more federal attention and funding eligibility for larger SMR projects. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of expanded DOE assistance eligibility and interagency working group operations.

Key Provisions

• Modifies modular reactor thresholds from 300 to 500 megawatts and combined capacity from 1,300 to 1,500 megawatts.
• Requires NRC and DOE guidance to align with microreactor and small modular reactor definitions.
• Prohibits DOE from excluding SMR projects from funding solely because a reactor unit is between 50 and 500 megawatts.
• Establishes a DOE-chaired SMR Commercialization and Industrialization Competitiveness Working Group.
• Requires annual working group reports to House and Senate committees by December 1 through 2030.