republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-134/section-13492.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 13492	Program, goals, and plan	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	134	ENERGY POLICY	13492	42 U.S.C. § 13492	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s13492	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	168cf5d7e479495e2323ab5950492f57b06d21f6b63c10df07e01cf299ad8aab	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	9f98750fa009edbf8525d8daddc7ad1c1c42bb0f057c7e61a010b7ae57f6b37f	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 13492 - Program, goals, and plan

Text

(a) Program direction The Secretary shall conduct a program to encourage the deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies that to the maximum extent practicable—

(1) are cost effective in comparison to alternative sources of commercial electric power of comparable availability and reliability, taking into consideration life cycle environmental costs;

(2) facilitate the design, licensing, construction, and operation of a nuclear powerplant using a standardized design;

(3) exhibit enhanced safety features; and

(4) incorporate features that advance the objectives of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 [22 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.].

(b) Program goals The goals of the program established under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) for the near-term—

(A) to facilitate the completion, by September 30, 1996, for certification by the Commission, of standardized advanced light water reactor technology designs that the Secretary determines have the characteristics described in subsection (a)(1) through (4);

(B) to facilitate the completion of submissions, by September 30, 1996, for preliminary design approvals by the Commission of standardized designs for the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and the liquid metal reactor technology; and

(C) to evaluate by September 30, 1996, actinide burn technology to determine if it can reduce the volume of long-lived fission byproducts;

(2) for the mid-term—

(A) to facilitate increased efficiency of enhanced safety, advanced light water reactors to produce electric power at the lowest cost to the customer;

(B) to develop advanced reactor concepts that are passively safe and environmentally acceptable; and

(C) to complete necessary research and development on high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and liquid metal reactor technology to support the selection, by September 30, 1998, of one or both of those technologies as appropriate for prototype demonstration; and

(3) for the long-term, to complete research and development and demonstration to support the design of advanced reactor technologies capable of providing electric power to a utility grid as soon as practicable but no later than the year 2010.

(c) Program plan Within 180 days after October 24, 1992, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Congress a 5-year program plan to guide the activities under this section. The program plan shall include schedule milestones, Federal funding requirements, and non-Federal cost sharing requirements. In preparing the program plan, the Secretary shall take into consideration—

(1) the need for, and the potential for future adoption by electric utilities or other entities of, advanced nuclear reactor technologies that are available, under development, or have the potential for being developed, for the generation of energy from nuclear fission;

(2) how the Federal Government, acting through the Secretary, can be effective in ensuring the availability of such technologies when they are needed;

(3) how the Federal Government can most effectively cooperate with the private sector in the accomplishment of the goals set forth in subsection (b); and

(4) potential alternative funding sources for carrying out this section.

In preparing the program plan, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate representatives of industry, institutions of higher education, Federal agencies, including national laboratories, and professional and technical societies. The Secretary shall update the program plan annually and submit such update to Congress. Each such update shall describe any activities that are behind schedule, any funding shortfalls, and any other circumstances that might affect the ability of the Secretary to meet the goals set forth in subsection (b).

(Pub. L. 102–486, title XXI, § 2122, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3082.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThe Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is Pub. L. 95–242, Mar. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 120, which is classified principally to chapter 47 (§ 3201 et seq.) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3201 of Title 22 and Tables.