SMACNA Urges Senate to Pass Nuclear Energy Legislation

SMACNA has sent a letter to the United States Senate urging the passage of S. 1111, the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023. 

This critical legislation would expand nuclear energy to advance nuclear technologies. The ADVANCE ACT would also modernize licensing requirements to address the needs of new technologies. The bill identifies regulatory barriers that limit the safe deployment of new nuclear technologies. These new technologies are capable of radically reducing carbon emissions. It also directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to create a pathway for conventional energy source sites to be repurposed in the future.

The legislation was introduced by Senator Moore-Capito (R-WV) and supported by a bipartisan coalition of her Senate colleagues. The legislation was reported out of the Energy and Public Works Committee by an overwhelming 16-3 margin.

In the letter to the Senate, Stan Kolbe, SMACNA’s Executive Director of Government and Political Affairs, said, “SMACNA members agree that it is time to boost the development and deployment of advanced nuclear energy and safety measures while seeking to remove additional regulatory roadblocks for the next generation of nuclear reactors. It would also help develop high-efficiency reactors and work to reduce construction costs to build advanced nuclear reactors.”

Take a moment to read SMACNA’s letter urging passage of The ADVANCE Act.