Representative Jason Altmire, a Pennsylvania Democrat, introduced both measures with "a bipartisan coalition" of 19 co-sponsors to "advance the development of America's nuclear energy industry by facilitating the design and licensing of small nuclear reactors,"

Altmire's office said in a statement. Altmire said "America's nuclear energy industry is on the brink of a new era of growth and development" and said his legislation would "help companies design and license smaller reactors that could be built more quickly and at a lower cost."

Designs for so-called small modular reactors, defined as nuclear generating units with a capacity of 300 MW or less, are being developed by several US and overseas firms. The designs that have been selected by US projects to build new power reactors are considerably larger, on the order of 1,000 MW. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is actively reviewing 13 applications for combined construction permit-operating licenses to build 22 of these larger new nuclear units. Still, the US nuclear industry has taken a great interest in the SMR designs.

One of the bills would require DOE "to carry out a research program to reduce manufacturing and construction costs relating to nuclear reactors." The other would require DOE to launch a public-private partnership to develop two standard designs for small modular reactors, at least one of which must have a capacity of not more than 50 MW, acquire a design certification for each from the NRC by January 2018 and acquire a combined construction permit-operating license for each by 2021.

At least 50% of the design development cost and at least 75% of the licensing costs must be borne "by a non-Federal source," the bill said.

One of the co-sponsors, Texas Representative Joe Barton from Texas, the senior Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that "by facilitating the development of small nuclear reactors, this legislation could help bring nuclear technology to new regions of the country."

Alex Flint, senior vice president for the Nuclear Energy Institute, said in an statement Wednesday that "the industry pledges to work" with Altmire and co-sponsors "to advance this legislation as a means of bringing innovative, small nuclear energy technologies to the commercial marketplace."

--Steven Dolley, steven_dolley@platts.com