42 U.S.C. § 16271 — Nuclear energy

Providing research infrastructure to promote scientific progress and enable users from academia, the National Laboratories, and the private sector to make scientific discoveries relevant for nuclear, chemical, and materials science engineering.

Maintaining nuclear energy research and development programs at the National Laboratories and institutions of higher education, including infrastructure at the National Laboratories and institutions of higher education.

Providing the technical means to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation.

Increasing confidence margins for public safety of nuclear energy systems.

Reducing the environmental impact of activities relating to nuclear energy.

Supporting technology transfer from the National Laboratories to the private sector.

Enabling the private sector to partner with the National Laboratories to demonstrate novel reactor concepts for the purpose of resolving technical uncertainty associated with the objectives described in subparagraphs (A) through (F).

a nuclear fission reactor, including a prototype plant (as defined in sections 50.2 and 52.1 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)), with significant improvements compared to reactors operating on December 27, 2020, including improvements such as—

a fusion reactor; and

a radioisotope power system that utilizes heat from radioactive decay to generate energy.

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term “National Laboratory” has the meaning given the term in section 15801 of this title.

With respect to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Sandia National Laboratories, the term “National Laboratory” means only the civilian activities of the laboratory.

research on materials sciences and nuclear physics; and

testing of advanced materials, nuclear fuels, and other related components for reactor systems.