42 U.S.C. § 16274 — Nuclear science and engineering support

(a) University nuclear science and engineering support (1) In general. The Secretary must run a program investing in people and buildings for nuclear science and related fields — health physics, nuclear engineering, and radiochemistry — that support the Department's civilian nuclear mission. (2) Requirements. The Secretary must: run fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students, possibly including time at National Laboratories with a staff mentor; run grants for junior faculty starting research careers in nuclear science and engineering; support basic nuclear science, engineering, and health physics research through an education and research program; build partnerships and share knowledge between universities, National Laboratories, other federal agencies, industry, and labor unions; and support outreach about nuclear science, engineering, and health physics. (3) University-National Laboratory interactions. The Secretary must run a sabbatical program for professors to spend time at National Laboratories, and a program for National Laboratory staff to visit university nuclear science departments. (4) Strengthening university research and training reactors and associated infrastructure. The Secretary may support: converting research reactors from highly enriched to low-enriched fuel and upgrading their instruments; fixing up existing nuclear science and engineering buildings that support advanced technology; regional groups of universities that broaden access to research reactors, improve infrastructure, and provide technical and material support; student training with the U.S. nuclear industry on relicensing and upgrading reactors; and reactor improvements focused on research, training, and education. Of the money appropriated for this subsection, Congress authorized $55,000,000 a year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027, specifically for the infrastructure and consortia work. (5) Advanced nuclear research infrastructure enhancement. The Secretary must run a subprogram — the Advanced Nuclear Research Infrastructure Enhancement Subprogram — to demonstrate advanced reactor and microreactor designs, set up medical isotope production reactors or other special-purpose reactors, and build other research infrastructure fitting the Department's mission. It must build no more than 4 new research reactors, plus other needed science and engineering facilities. New reactors and facilities must be sited to support the regional consortia mentioned above and to bring in historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges, minority-serving institutions, EPSCoR universities, and community colleges. New reactors cannot use highly enriched uranium (defined in another section). The Research Reactor Infrastructure subprogram must expand to fuel these new reactors. Congress authorized: $45,000,000 for 2023; $60,000,000 for 2024; $65,000,000 for 2025; $80,000,000 for 2026; and $140,000,000 for 2027. (6) Radiological facilities management. The Secretary must run a program giving university research reactors project management, technical support, quality inspections, and help handling nuclear material. Congress authorized $20,000,000 a year for fiscal years 2021 through 2025. (7) Nuclear energy university program. As much as practical, the Department must set aside 20 percent of its yearly nuclear energy research funding — not counting money for the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program — for university-led research and infrastructure, awarded through open competition. (8) Operations and maintenance. Project funding under this subsection can also cover part of a university research reactor's operating and maintenance costs. (9) Definitions. "Junior faculty" means someone who earned their doctorate less than 10 years before getting a grant under paragraph (2)(B). "Junior or community college" means a public school where the main degree given is an associate degree, or any Tribal college or university. "EPSCoR university" means a school in a state eligible for a specific federal research-competitiveness program. "Historically Black college or university" borrows its meaning from another law. "Minority-serving institution" covers Hispanic-serving, Alaska Native-serving, Native Hawaiian-serving, Predominantly Black, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving, and Native American-serving nontribal institutions, as described in another section. "Tribal College or University" also borrows its meaning from another law. (b) Nuclear energy traineeship subprogram (1) Establishment. As part of the program in subsection (a), the Secretary must set up a traineeship subprogram, competitively awarding advanced training with universities to meet the Department's critical workforce needs, including in industries with union labor. (2) Requirements. The Secretary must encourage partnerships among National Laboratories, universities, community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeship programs, and industry, and must check yearly what training the nuclear energy field needs. Focus areas. The Secretary may run traineeships in areas it decides matter for the U.S. nuclear sector, including research and development, construction and operations, supply chains, and retraining workers moving into new roles. (4) Authorization of appropriations. Congress authorized $5,000,000 a year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.