New Generation Capacity Under Development In The U.S. Jumps 10% Over 2021
March 15, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
March 15, 2022
Nearly 412,000 megawatts (MW) of new generation capacity is under development in the U.S., a 10% increase over 2021. Of this capacity, 112,859 MW is under construction or permitted, and 299,053 MW is proposed or pending application, the American Public Power Association (APPA) said in a recent report.
Natural gas, solar, and wind continue to be the dominant forms of new generation capacity, accounting for 99.74% of all capacity additions in 2021, and projected to account for 98% of capacity additions in 2022, according to the report, “America’s Electricity Generation Capacity: 2022 Update,” which was prepared by Paul Zummo, APPA’s Director of Policy Research and Analysis.
All capacity figures in the report only represent utility-scale capacity and do not include distributed and other small-scale generating capacity.
The report said that solar capacity has increased dramatically, with more than 25,000 MW gained since 2020, a 60% increase over the amount added in 2020. Solar was the leading source of new utility-scale capacity in 2021, the first time it has been the leading resource.
Solar is also the top resource in all four future capacity categories. In total, over 188,000 MW of solar capacity is at some stage of development, with another 131,318 MW of wind capacity in the pipeline.
The net gain of wind capacity compared with two years ago is almost 30,000 MW, which is a 29% increase from 2020.
The report also provides information on retirements and planned retirements and cancellations over the past several years.
More than 27,000 MW of planned capacity developments were canceled in 2021. Wind and solar projects account for more than half of the cancellations from 2014-2021.
Capacity additions (26,000 MW) represented more than three times the total capacity retired (8,700 MW) in 2021.
More than 72% of the capacity retired in 2021 was coal-fired facilities, with more than 6,000 MW retired.
More than 40,000 MW in coal capacity is planned to be retired through 2026, which represents more than 17% of the current generating capacity of all coal-fired facilities.
Currently, the U.S. has just over 1.2 million MW of generation capacity. The largest fuel source is natural gas, accounting for just under 44% of all generation capacity.
Coal, with a share of 18.5%, represents the second largest source of generation capacity. Nuclear, hydro, and wind together account for just over one-quarter of capacity. Solar currently constitutes over 5% of all capacity.
Data analyzed for the report comes from the ABB Velocity Suite database, which was accessed January 2022.
The report is available here.
Four Western States Sign MOU To Develop A Regional Hydrogen Hub
March 9, 2022
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
March 9, 2022
The governors of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have joined forces in signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of a regional clean hydrogen hubs.
Under the MOU the states agreed to compete jointly for a portion of the $8 billion allocated in the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for hydrogen hubs.
The MOU calls for the governors to work together to develop a response to the request for proposals (RFP) that the Department of Energy (DOE) is expected to issue by May 2022 for development of four or more regional hydrogen hubs and to collaborate on the response to the request for information (RFI) issued Feb. 15, 2022 pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Each of the states also said the joint proposal would be the only proposal they would participate in for a hydrogen hub and that they will not submit their own standalone proposal in cooperation with other states or entities other than the signatories of the MOU. If all the signatories of the MOU agree, other Western states may be added to the MOU.
The MOU calls for each of the four states to appoint up to three representatives to a workgroup, who will coordinate the states’ collective work on development of the regional hydrogen hub proposals.
At least two of the three representatives to the workgroup shall be employees or representatives of a state agency, official board, or other state body or research institution in the respective states.
The aim of the workgroup will be to develop a multi-state action proposal to accelerate commercialization of, and demonstrate the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydrogen.
The signatories further agreed that any external written communication about the regional Hydrogen Hub collaboration would be shared with the workgroup in advance.
The governors said the four signatory states of the MOU are uniquely situated to become a clean hydrogen hub because of their high-quality wind, solar, biomass, natural gas, and other energy resources, as well as their “world-leading national labs and academic institutions” and multiple industrial operations and large urban areas that could potentially be early adopters of clean hydrogen technologies.
Several West Coast utilities, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Douglas County PUD in Washington, have recently embarked on projects aimed at furthering the feasibility of using hydrogen fuels to offset the use of traditional fossil fuels.
Separately, the DOE last June launched an effort to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80 percent to $1 per kilogram, from about $5 per kilogram, in one decade.
To help public power utilities understand the potential – and the limitations – of hydrogen, and why they should get involved, we developed Understanding Hydrogen: Trends and Use Cases.
To help public power utilities understand the potential — and the limitations — of hydrogen, and why they should get involved, the American Public Power Association developed Understanding Hydrogen: Trends and Use Cases.
Growing Number Of States Taking Steps To Clear A Path For Nuclear Power
March 1, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
March 1, 2022
A growing number of states are taking action to clear a path for the possible development of nuclear power.
In February, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed into law a bill that lifts the state’s ban on the construction of nuclear power plants, following similar action by other states in recent years. In 2016, Wisconsin repealed a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear facilities within the state and Kentucky took similar action a year later.
Meanwhile, since the start of this year, a number of state legislatures have considered or taken action related to legislation related to nuclear power including small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).
“Right now, between state legislation being introduced and new nuclear projects underway in states like Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming and Idaho, nuclear energy is being discussed in half of the country with the majority considering policies that will directly impact the industry,” said Christine Csizmadia, director of state governmental affairs and advocacy at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). “The appetite to learn more about nuclear energy technology is clearly there and continuously increasing,” she said.
Csizmadia said that there are various motivations behind these policies. “Many states are recognizing nuclear’s role in decarbonization while others are looking at new nuclear for the potential economic impacts and reliability. We are seeing bills that range from prioritizing the state’s existing nuclear plants, like in New Jersey and Illinois to bills aimed at maintaining grid reliability, like in West Virginia, which recognize nuclear as a potential asset.”
Nebraska
A Nebraska Senate Committee in February considered a bill that would use pandemic relief funds to conduct a feasibility study on siting options for nuclear reactors.
The bill, LB1100, would appropriate $1 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to Nebraska to the state Department of Economic Development for use by a political subdivision that owns or operates a nuclear plant in the state to conduct a feasibility study.
The study would assess siting options for new, advanced nuclear reactors throughout Nebraska and existing electric generation facilities based on key compatibility assets for such reactors, according to the Nebraska Legislature’s Unicameral Update.
Daniel Buman, director of nuclear oversight and strategic asset management at Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), testified in support of the proposal on behalf of NPPD and the Nebraska Power Association, which represents all of Nebraska’s public power utilities.
Indiana
Meanwhile, in another Midwest state, lawmakers in Indiana in February passed a bill, Senate Bill 271, that amends the statute governing certificates of public convenience and necessity that are issued by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) for the construction, lease, or purchase of electric generation facilities.
The bill would require the IURC, in consultation with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, to adopt rules concerning the granting of certificates for the construction, purchase, or lease of SMRs:
- In Indiana for the generation of electricity to be used to furnish public utility service to Indiana customers; or
- At the site of a nuclear energy production or generating facility that supplies electricity to Indiana retail customers on July 1, 2011.
The bill is now on the desk of Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb for further action.
Oklahoma
In other recent action, Republican Oklahoma State Sen. Nathan Dahm recently introduced legislation (Senate Bill 1794) that would direct the state’s Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a study focusing on the feasibility and establishment of nuclear facilities in cooperation with the Office of the Secretary of Energy and Environment on or before January 1, 2024.
Upon completion of the study, the bill requires that a report be submitted to the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, Speaker of the Oklahoma House, Governor, the Chair of the Senate Energy Committee, and the Chair of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee no later than February 1, 2024.
Alaska
In early February, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, introduced Senate Bill 177, which will allow communities across Alaska to explore new opportunities related to microreactors.
The bill defines a microreactor according to the federal definition contained in the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act. This means a reactor that produces no more than 50 MWe and meets the standards of an “advanced nuclear reactor” as defined in federal code.
It also creates an exemption for microreactors from the requirement that the Legislature approve of each microreactor siting.
SB 177 was referred to the Alaska Senate Resources and Senate Community and Regional Affairs committees.
Colorado
In Colorado, the Colorado Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs on Feb. 17 voted to indefinitely postpone action on a bill, SB22-073, that called for a study regarding the feasibility of using SMRs as a carbon-free energy source for the state.
“As other states begin lifting their moratoriums, such as West Virginia, or actually initiating small modular reactor projects, such as Wyoming, Colorado is left behind,” said Colorado State Sen. Bob Rankin, a Republican, in a statement issued after the committee’s action.
Rankin sponsored the bill.
Other States Have Also Taken Action In Recent Years
The recent wave of state legislative activity follows on the heels of action taken by a number of other states in recent years.
For example, in early 2021, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law H.B. 273, which eliminated restrictions on nuclear power development in the state. The bill was sponsored by Montana Rep. Derek Skees, a Republican.
Also last year in Montana, a joint resolution sponsored by Montana Sen. Terry Gauthier, a Republican, was filed with the State Secretary of State that requires a study that will look at the feasibility of advanced nuclear reactors as a replacement for coal-fired boilers, specifically the state’s Colstrip coal-fired power plant.
The joint resolution noted that SMRs “employ passive safety and innovative designs that can provide electrical input in the range of 250 megawatts to 500 megawatts by exchanging heat between coolant and a steam generator.”
The joint resolution requires that all aspects of the study, including presentation and review requirements, be concluded prior to Sept. 15, 2022.
In neighboring Wyoming, Gov. Mark Gordon in 2020 signed a bill into law that required the state’s Environmental Quality Council and Department of Environmental Quality to promulgate rules regarding the permitting of SMRs.
The law provides a $5.00 per megawatt hour tax on the production of electricity from nuclear reactors in Wyoming. It exempts from taxation government owned nuclear reactors, electricity produced for the producer’s consumption and test or demonstration reactors. There is an offsetting credit for any property tax paid that is associated with a nuclear reactor.
The reactors can be used to replace coal or natural gas electric generation on the sites of those facilities, and the facilities cannot have a greater rated capacity (whether through one reactor or multiple reactors) than the existing capacity of the coal or natural gas electric generation facility.
In November 2021, TerraPower announced Kemmerer, Wyoming, as the preferred site for a Natrium reactor demonstration project.
Bill Gates is TerraPower’s Chairman of the Board.
The demonstration plant is intended to validate the design, construction and operational features of the Natrium technology. The project features a 345 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based energy storage system.
The storage technology can boost the system’s output to 500 MW of power when needed. The energy storage capability allows the plant to integrate seamlessly with renewable resources, according to TerraPower.
Public Power Pursues Advanced Nuclear Power Projects
For its part, a number of public power utilities are pursuing advanced nuclear power technology.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors on Feb. 10 approved a programmatic approach to exploring advanced nuclear technology.
TVA said that as part of the development of innovative, cost-effective technologies that will achieve TVA’s aspiration of a net-zero carbon energy future, advanced nuclear is one of several technologies TVA is investigating.
Carbon Free Power Project, LLC (CFPP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, continues to advance the development and deployment of its first-of-a-kind small modular reactor nuclear plant at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls, Idaho.
CFPP successfully and safely completed field investigation activities at the site in January 2022, a major milestone for the project.
In 2021, NuScale Power and Washington State’s Grant County Public Utility District announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to evaluate the deployment of NuScale’s SMR technology in Central Washington State.
Northwest Power and Conservation Council Plan Calls For Renewables, Efficiency
February 28, 2022
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
February 28, 2022
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has adopted an electric power resource plan that calls for the development of at least 3,500 megawatts (MW) of renewable resources and as much as 1,000 MW of energy efficiency measures over the next six years.
The 2021 Northwest Power Plan looks out 20 years, to 2041, and includes a near term focus with a six-year action plan for 2022-2027.
While the power generation mix will likely see modest changes in the near term, over the 20-year term of the plan, the region can expect “a more substantial transformation,” the plan says. Recent years have already seen dramatic drops in the cost of wind and solar energy and about 60 percent of the region’s coal-fired plants are due to retire by 2028, the plan’s authors said, noting that the 2021 plan includes “significantly more renewable generation than all our previous power plans.”
The Council was authorized by Congress in 1980 to develop and maintain a regional power plan and fish and wildlife program for Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. As one of its responsibilities, the council drafts a 20-year, least-cost power plan for the Pacific Northwest and updates at least every five years.
The 2021 plan calls for the addition of at least 3,500 MW of new renewable resources in the Northwest to provide energy and offset the emissions from the region’s existing fossil fuel-based generation.
The 2021 plan also recommends that the Bonneville Power Administration and regional utilities plan to acquire between 750 and 1,000 average MW of cost-effective energy efficiency by the end of 2027 and a minimum of 2,400 average MW by 2041.
The plan includes less efficiency than past plans because much of the inexpensive efficiency has been achieved, and “what remains is close to the price of power from the least expensive generating resources,” the authors said.
The 2021 plan also recommends that Northwest utilities examine two types of demand response residential time-of-use (TOU) rates and demand voltage regulation (DVR). “Our assessment shows that about 200 megawatts of TOU and 520 megawatts of DVR are available by 2027,” the plan said.
The 2021 plan also calls for the Bonneville Power Administration and regional utilities, along with their associations and planning organizations, to work together and with others in the Western electric grid to explore the potential costs and benefits of new market tools, such as capacity and reserves products.
Legislation In Nebraska Proposes Nuclear Reactor Feasibility Study
February 22, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
February 22, 2022
Nebraska would use pandemic relief funds to conduct a feasibility study on siting options for nuclear reactors under a bill considered Feb. 16 by a Nebraska Senate Committee.
The bill, LB1100, would appropriate $1 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to Nebraska to the state Department of Economic Development for use by a political subdivision that owns or operates a nuclear plant in the state to conduct a feasibility study.
The study would assess siting options for new, advanced nuclear reactors throughout Nebraska and existing electric generation facilities based on key compatibility assets for such reactors, according to the Nebraska Legislature’s Unicameral Update.
Daniel Buman, director of nuclear oversight and strategic asset management at Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), testified in support of the proposal on behalf of NPPD and the Nebraska Power Association, which represents all of Nebraska’s public power utilities.
Calling a siting study the “next logical step” for meeting the state’s energy needs, he said a new generation of nuclear facilities could provide reliable, baseload carbon-free energy for the state.
Cooper Nuclear Station currently provides approximately 65 percent of the electricity for Nebraska customers over a rolling two-year average, he said.
“Siting studies are needed to identify the best combination of features and locations to maximize the value [of new nuclear sites] for Nebraska,” Buman said.
No one testified in opposition to the bill, which was introduced by Nebraska Sen. Bruce Bostelman, and the committee took no immediate action on LB1100.
DOE Establishes Infrastructure Law’s $9.5 Billion Clean Hydrogen Initiatives
February 16, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
February 16, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced two requests for information (RFI) to collect feedback from stakeholders to inform the implementation and design of the infrastructure law’s Regional Hydrogen Hub and the Electrolysis and Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling Programs.
The law includes:
- $8 billion for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs that will create jobs to expand use of clean hydrogen in the industrial sector and beyond;
- $1 billion for a Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program to reduce costs of hydrogen produced from clean electricity; and
- $500 million for Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling Initiatives to support equipment manufacturing and strong domestic supply chains.
The RFIs will gather input from a range of stakeholders, including regional leaders, local groups, environmental justice community members, researchers, technology developers, businesses among others to inform the design of clean hydrogen programs, DOE said.
Topics under the Hydrogen Hubs Implementation Strategy RFI include solicitation process, funding opportunity announcement structure, and implementation strategy; equity, environmental and energy justice and priorities; and market adoption and sustainability of the Hydrogen Hubs.
Topics under the Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing, Recycling, and Electrolysis RFI include manufacturing and supply chain of clean hydrogen equipment and components; approaches to recycle hydrogen end use technologies including fuel cells; and development, testing and integration of electrolyzers.
Feedback received from these RFIs will also support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot efforts to cut to cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade.
Click here for the RFIs.
Click here for resources and opportunities for public power tied to the infrastructure law curated by the American Public Power Association.
West Virginia Governor Signs Bill That Lifts Ban On Nuclear Power In The State
February 15, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
February 15, 2022
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice recently signed into law a bill that lifts the state’s ban on the construction of nuclear power plants.
“I call upon our Legislature to continue to research and monitor nuclear initiatives around the nation to ensure appropriate regulatory or safety measures are in place as new technologies are developed and implemented,” wrote Justice.
He said that the legislation, Senate Bill 4, “is a positive step in modernizing our state’s regulatory environment, but we must work to ensure only positive outcomes from this legislation by continually evaluating any concerns and implementing best practices in any regulation that may be required.”
GAO Asked To Review NRC’s Advanced Nuclear Approval Process
February 14, 2022
by Peter Maloney
APPA News
February 14, 2022
Two members of Congress are calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess whether the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is equipped to approve in a timely fashion advanced nuclear reactors that are vying to come to market.
“Recent NRC actions concerning certain licensing activities raise questions about the agency’s capability to manage effectively first-mover applications for new, advanced technologies,” Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) wrote in a Feb. 4 letter to the GAO.
Capito and Rodgers are, respectively, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) has been pursuing new reactor designs that are expected to be smaller, safer, and more economically competitive than the Light Water Reactor technology currently in use.
The Department of Energy’s efforts are bolstered by legislation, including the 2018 Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act and the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that appropriated nearly $2.5 billion for the DOE’s advanced nuclear program.
A key component of moving advanced reactor designs forward is implementation of a more streamlined regulatory process. The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, for example, directed the NRC to develop a regulatory framework to license and oversee advanced reactor technologies no later than Dec. 31, 2027, the letter noted. But recent NRC actions “concerning certain licensing activities raise questions about the agency’s capability to manage effectively first-mover applications for new, advanced technologies,” the letter’s authors wrote.
The letter cites a 2019 report to Congress, in which the NRC stated it is “fully capable of reviewing and making safety, security, or environmental findings on an advanced reactor design if an application were to be submitted today.” The authors noted, however, that the same report acknowledged that “the efficiency of existing processes and requirements could be improved.” And in a draft white paper, the authors noted, NRC staff said the agency would “leverage flexibilities in existing regulations and identify options for changes to regulatory requirements that could provide additional flexibilities.”
In the letter, the authors said they “seek to understand if and how those improvements are being pursued and how NRC staff, in communication with the license applicant, will leverage existing flexibilities.”
Among other things, Capito and Rodger are asking the NRC to explain how it is:
- Assessing various organizational approaches to establish the most effective structure to review applications efficiently;
- Implementing flexible regulatory approaches to review forthcoming applications, and
- Working with license applicants during pre-application and initial license review phases to communicate key issues.
A bill approved in February lifted a 1996 ban on nuclear power production in West Virginia. Shortly after the bill was signed into law, Capito, during a committee hearing, cited the “tremendous potential” of advanced nuclear reactors and noted that shuttered coal plants could provide ready potential sites for the deployment of that technology.
West Virginia’s Democratic senator, Joe Manchin, is also exploring the potential to use advanced nuclear technology in the state at retired coal plants. And during an April Atlantic Council event, Manchin and Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, both voiced support for deploying small modular reactors at retired coal plants.
Last January, the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems signed agreements with NuScale Power to facilitate to deploy NuScale’s small modular reactors at the Idaho National Laboratory.
In Washington, the Grant County Public Utility District with Energy Northwest and X-energy have signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of an advanced nuclear reactor demonstration project.
Small Modular Reactor Project In Idaho Achieves Major Milestone
February 13, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
February 13, 2022
Carbon Free Power Project, LLC (CFPP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, continues to advance the development and deployment of its first-of-a-kind small modular reactor nuclear plant at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls, Idaho.
CFPP successfully and safely completed field investigation activities at the site in January 2022, a major milestone for the project.
In August 2021, CFPP initiated field activities at the CFPP site at Idaho National Laboratory.
This phase of field work involved detailed geotechnical surface and subsurface investigations to further characterize the geologic properties underlying the site and support the analysis of potential volcanic and seismic hazards.
It also established a groundwater monitoring network to support protection of the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer and commissioned an on-site meteorological monitoring station to collect site-specific atmospheric data.
Safety performance has been outstanding on the project through completion of the site investigation activities at the CFPP site, CFPP said.
In parallel with the completion of field work at the CFPP site, the project is also moving forward with the development of a combined license application in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Analysis of the data collected from the site investigation efforts, as well as a two-year monitoring campaign, will be presented in the application to address key safety and environmental considerations associated with the siting and licensing for the reactor.
The application will also provide additional project specific facility design information, which will support the NRC’s safety and environmental reviews as well as public consultations.
Development of the combined license application is being managed by Fluor Corporation, under contract with CFPP, with support and technical expertise from NuScale Power.
The CFPP will deploy a NuScale power plant that is based on NuScale’s small modular reactor technology.
In addition to addressing the suitability of the site and the environmental impacts assessment, the combined license application will also present information related to the applicant’s qualifications and the facility security and emergency plans.
Completion of the combined license application and submittal to the NRC is scheduled for early 2024. Startup and commissioning of the CFPP is planned for 2029.
DOE Establishes $6 Billion Civil Nuclear Credit Program
February 13, 2022
by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
February 13, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently a notice of intent (NOI) and request for information (RFI) on the implementation of the infrastructure law’s $6 billion civil nuclear credit program, which supports the continued operation of U.S. nuclear reactors.
Both the NOI and RFI “are critical first steps to help avoid premature retirements of nuclear reactors across the country,” DOE said.
The newly enacted infrastructure law created the Civil Nuclear Credit Program (CNC), allowing owners or operators of commercial U.S. reactors to apply for certification and competitively bid on credits to help support their continued operations.
The RFI seeks input on the structure and execution of the CNC program, including the certification process and eligibility criteria, invitations to submit bids for credits, and the allocation of credits.
DOE seeks input from all interested parties, including but not limited to nuclear reactor owners and operators, state and local regulators and officials, Tribes, impacted community partners, environmental advocacy groups, and other partners involved in clean energy and electric generation, distribution, and planning.
Under the law, applications must prove that the reactor will close for economic reasons and demonstrate that closure will lead to a rise in air pollution.
DOE must also determine that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has reasonable assurance that the reactor will continue to operate safely. Credits will be allocated over a four-year period beginning on the date of selection to reactors that are certified by the Department.
The NOI informs interested parties of DOE’s plans to seek applications and provide potential applicants the opportunity to submit voluntary, non-binding expressions of interest in the CNC program.
Responses to the NOI and RFI addressing general program design and bid process are requested no later than 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time on March 17, 2022.
Substantive responses relating specifically to the certification process should be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time on March 8, 2022 to ensure that this feedback can be used to meet DOE’s expedited schedule.
Additional information is available here.