42 U.S.C. § 13491 — Purposes and definitions

(a) Purposes. This part's purposes are to: (1) require the Secretary to run civilian nuclear programs in a way that leads to advanced nuclear reactor technologies becoming commercially available; and (2) authorize activities that help make advanced nuclear reactor technologies available on time, including ones using standardized designs or having passive safety features. (b) Definitions. In this part: "Advanced nuclear reactor technologies" means (A) advanced light water reactors that might become commercially available in the near term — including, but not limited to, mid-sized reactors with passive safety features that generate commercial electric power from nuclear fission — and (B) other advanced nuclear reactor technologies that might need prototype testing before they're commercially available in the mid- or long-term — including, but not limited to, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and liquid metal reactors that generate commercial electric power from nuclear fission. "Commission" means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "Standardized design" means a nuclear power plant design usable at multiple units or multiple sites. "Certification" means the Commission's approval of a standardized design.