Bill S97, the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (NEICA), was passed by the House on 13 September. The bill, which would direct the Department of Energy (DOE) to prioritise partnerships with private innovators to test and demonstrate advanced reactor concepts, was passed by the Senate in March. The act authorises the creation of a National Reactor Innovation Center that brings together the technical expertise of US national laboratories and the DOE to enable the construction of experimental reactors. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would partner with DOE in this, enabling the regulator to contribute its expertise on safety issues while also learning about the new technologies.
