U.S. Code > Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare > CHAPTER 149—NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS > SUBCHAPTER IX—RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT > Part E—Nuclear Energy > § 16272. Nuclear energy research programs

§ 16272. Nuclear energy research programs

(a) Nuclear Energy Research Initiative
The Secretary shall carry out a Nuclear Energy Research Initiative for research and development related to nuclear energy.
(b) Nuclear Energy Systems Support Program
The Secretary shall carry out a Nuclear Energy Systems Support Program to support research and development activities addressing reliability, availability, productivity, component aging, safety, and security of existing nuclear power plants.
(c) Nuclear Power 2010 Program
(1) In general
The Secretary shall carry out a Nuclear Power 2010 Program, consistent with recommendations of the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee of the Department in the report entitled “A Roadmap to Deploy New Nuclear Power Plants in the United States by 2010” and dated October 2001.
(2) Administration
The Program shall include—
(A) use of the expertise and capabilities of industry, institutions of higher education, and National Laboratories in evaluation of advanced nuclear fuel cycles and fuels testing;
(B) consideration of a variety of reactor designs suitable for both developed and developing nations;
(C) participation of international collaborators in research, development, and design efforts, as appropriate; and
(D) encouragement for participation by institutions of higher education and industry.
(d) Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative
(1) In general
The Secretary shall carry out a Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative to develop an overall technology plan for and to support research and development necessary to make an informed technical decision about the most promising candidates for eventual commercial application.
(2) Administration
In conducting the Initiative, the Secretary shall examine advanced proliferation-resistant and passively safe reactor designs, including designs that—
(A) are economically competitive with other electric power generation plants;
(B) have higher efficiency, lower cost, and improved safety compared to reactors in operation on August 8, 2005;
(C) use fuels that are proliferation resistant and have substantially reduced production of high-level waste per unit of output; and
(D) use improved instrumentation.
(e) Reactor production of hydrogen
The Secretary shall carry out research to examine designs for high-temperature reactors capable of producing large-scale quantities of hydrogen.