H.R. 1009: National Strategy to Utilize Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act

This bill directs the President to develop a national strategy to utilize microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts. A microreactor is a nuclear reactor with at most 20 megawatts of thermal energy generating capacity.

Specifically, such strategy must include

• an assessment of the effectiveness of utilizing diesel generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts;
• a comprehensive, research-based, and long-term discussion of goals, objectives, and priorities for utilizing microreactors instead of diesel generators to assist with such efforts;
• a Department of Defense analysis regarding the use of such microreactors to assist with such efforts;
• recommendations on how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can work with other federal agencies to expedite the approval of designs for microreactors and issuing licenses;
• an assessment of the challenges and barriers to deploying microreactors to assist with such efforts and solutions; and
• recommendations on how to utilize microreactors as charging stations for electric vehicles in the event of a mass evacuation resulting from a natural disaster.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.