Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016

Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016

(Sec. 4) This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enter into a memorandum of understanding to:

• ensure that DOE has sufficient technical expertise to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative advanced reactor technology;
• ensure that the NRC has sufficient technical expertise to support the evaluation of requests for regulatory approval for advanced reactors;
• use computers and software codes to calculate the behavior and performance of advanced reactors based on mathematical models of their physical behavior; and
• ensure that the DOE maintains and develops the facilities to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative reactor technology and that the NRC has access to such facilities, as needed.

(Sec. 5) DOE must submit a report to Congress within 180 days evaluating activities intended to facilitate the testing and demonstration of advanced reactors on DOE land and facilities and the potential for DOE to test and demonstrate on private land. The report must be updated and re-submitted to Congress every two years. Additionally, the report shall address certain issues including safety, cost, liability, facility siting, and options to regulate the advanced reactors.

(Sec. 6) The NRC must develop a plan within one year to implement a regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors. The plan shall include options to expedite and streamline the licensing process for advanced reactors, cost estimates, budgets, and specific milestones for implementing the framework by the end of FY2019.

(Sec. 7) This bill also amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require that the aggregate amount of fees collected by the NRC from licensees and certificate holders in a fiscal year be decreased by the amount of appropriations for activities related to the development of regulatory infrastructure for advanced nuclear reactor technologies.