Advance Act
Steps Forward to US Atomic Power?
We need to accelerate the development of Advanced Nuclear technology. The (ADVANCE) Act of 2023 has been introduced by a bipartisan group of US senators, including Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
The legislation claims it will boost the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies and place the US as the undisputed international leader for nuclear energy. Supporters, including industry stakeholders, business organizations, and environmental and energy advocates, have welcomed the bill as an important step to reestablish American international competitiveness and global leadership in nuclear energy.
This legislation also seeks to revitalize the domestic nuclear supply chain, strengthen the pipeline of the next generation nuclear workforce, and assist advanced reactor developers with the licensing of their technologies.
The ADVANCE Act claims to be crucial to preserving and expanding the use of clean and reliable nuclear energy in the United States. It claims to not only strengthen the country's energy and national security but also help achieve environmental goals.
The United States has 93 operating nuclear reactors, which accounts for 20% of the nation's electricity and over half of its carbon-free energy. The bill claims it will empower the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to lead international forums for developing regulations for advanced nuclear reactors and establish an initiative for outreach to nations seeking to develop advanced nuclear energy programs.
Additionally, the ADVANCE Act claims it will help preserve existing nuclear energy, develop and deploy new nuclear technologies, strengthen the nuclear fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure, and improve commission efficiency. Furthermore, by reducing regulatory costs and creating incentives for the successful deployment of next-generation nuclear reactor technologies, this bill will facilitate American nuclear leadership and create new jobs, grow the economy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Opinion
While I’m all about increasing the amount of energy production from fission technologies. My experience with government legislation is that it rarely allows things and tends to further entrench existing interest groups enriching themselves through subsidization. Though the arguments have some coherence: “Fund Advanced Reactor Research, Development & Deployment so it gets here faster and safer”.
Their Claims on the handout are as follows
Facilitates American Nuclear Leadership
Develops and Deploys New Nuclear Technologies
Preserves Existing Nuclear Energy
Strengthens America's Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain Infrastructure
Helps Cleanup Legacy Cold War Uranium Contaminated Sites on Tribal Land
Improves Commission Efficiency
Copied straight from the Advance Act Handout. These immediately invoke suspicion due to vague language. As well as hints of wokeness… The congressional supporters are also listed.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Senator Jim Risch (R-ID)
Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
I will eventually provide a comprehensive list of senators and the bills they have voted on and supported historically. In order to get a “Temperature” for their political cations.
Forget whatever they say. What they vote for and against is what matters…
Since I do not have information about them specifically I’ll refrain from adding my opinion of the individual motives for another article. However, the document itself notes “Bi-Partisan support” Which some seem to think is positive, unfortunately almost all of the worst legislation passed is when a few of one side come together with the other side to cash in on earmarks, local jobs headlines, and other political campaign related promotion. I am biased as I think no government action tends to be better than government action. There is evidence is everywhere for such belief.
I would rather see an act which adds NO additional government influence but only removes government talons from private industry’s legal obligations. Though I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of a bill like that, nor would the incentives for congress members make that a desirable vote.
Let’s look at the Industry partners I mentioned earlier:
Nuclear Energy Institute
US Nuclear Industry Council
US Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute
Constellation Energy
Xcel Energy
TerraPower
X-Energy
American Nuclear Society
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Health Physics Society
Fusion Industry Association
Energy Northwest
American Electric Power
Dominion Energy
Clean Air Task Force
The Nature Conservancy
Breakthrough Institute
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
ClearPath Action
Third Way
Nuclear Innovation Alliance
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action
Good Energy Collective
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of
the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry
Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions (C3)
Action
Fastest Path to Zero Initiative
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
I was a member of American Nuclear Society when I was at UVU. I know of Bill Gates’s Terrapower, X-Energy, & Dominion Energy. These are essentially entrenched interests. I assume good intentions, but not necessarily good outcomes.
Several Noteworthy names are missing: Radiant Energy, FLiBe Energy, Copenhagen Atomics, ThorCon, NuScale, Transatomic Power, Moltex, & Terrestrial Energy who just got through another licensing hurtle of the Canadian Government.
Do I have time to read the bill itself? I wouldn’t have thought so. But I can have chatGPT read it for me…. It’s actually not too long and can be read here.
Just Kidding! That’s the 2019 proposal… Try reading this 2023 ADVANCE ACT. I wanted to have chatGPT read it but I’d have to pay for a larger input size, so below is the 2019 assessment… I’ve been reading parts of the actual act and am redrafting with my own modifications. I’ll get that out eventually.
GPT Summary/Assessment(2019)
Based on the text of H.R. 3664, also known as the ADVANCE Act of 2019, it appears to be in congruence with the public statements made regarding its purpose. The bill specifically aims to direct the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to perform an outreach program for the new markets tax credit in underserved communities, including those within Indian country. The text of the bill also includes provisions to ensure that at least one qualified community development entity whose primary mission is to fund projects within or that directly benefit Indian country receives an allocation for each allocation round. Overall, the ADVANCE Act of 2019 appears to be consistent with the stated goal of promoting economic development in underserved communities through the new markets tax credit.
My Assessment(2023)
This is likely to keep entrenched powers in place preventing new companies from entering the space while simultaneously claiming to be advancing “Clean Energy”.
I hope I’m wrong, but the critical measurement that matters is:
How much sooner will atomic production come online than it would have otherwise?
I’m using “The ADVANCE ACT” as a template to draft my own legislation which I believe can accelerate our transition to sustainable energy. Be sure though I am skeptical that I will provide an alternative as best I can manage!
Thanks for reading, I’m doing my best to keep writing despite any worldly challenges that occur in my life. If you know of anyone who can accelerate the production of atomic energy as humans primary energy source. Email me, message me, tweet me, I’m building a team: to find and breakthrough “The Limiting Factor”