Washington- Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16), introduce the Streamline America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Nuclear Act.  The bill is provides a regulatory process that will encourage an increase in the production of this clean, alternative energy.

Congressman Pitts’ statement follows:

“Nuclear energy is a viable, clean alternative that can help strengthen America’s energy infrastructure now.  But in order to make that happen, we need regulatory reform in order to speed up the process of approving new nuclear reactors, while ensuring the highest safety standards are observed.  Nuclear power can reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy and reduce the emissions that come from burning fossil fuels.  Our regulatory structure should be encouraging innovation, not stifling it.”

Background

The United States gets roughly 20 percent of its electricity from nuclear power, whereas France derives approximately 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear power.  Rep. Pitts’ bill fast tracks the regulatory process for approval of new nuclear reactors on or adjacent to a site where reactors are already operating, reducing the time needed for approval to two years for reactors that meet certain criteria, including:

•    Reactor design must already be certified;
•    Any new reactor must be on or adjacent to an existing generation site;
•    Reactor operator may not be subject of any Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) action to revoke operating permits;
•    Operator must have completed construction/operation application that has been docketed by NRC.

The bill makes public safety a top priority in any approval of new reactors.  It will also task the NRC with developing regulations that will allow new reactor designs to compete in the marketplace.  Customers have been reluctant to purchase new reactor designs because the NRC has not been equipped to evaluate new designs well.  This has limited the available designs and reduced the competition in the reactor market, stunting innovation in the market.

###