Nuclear Power Purchase Agreements Act

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4834 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4834

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program for long-term 
       nuclear power purchase agreements, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2021

Mrs. Luria (for herself, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Gonzalez of 
    Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program for long-term 
       nuclear power purchase agreements, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Power Purchase Agreements 
Act''.

SEC. 2. LONG-TERM NUCLEAR POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Energy (in this section 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall develop and carry out a program 
to enter into long-term nuclear power purchase agreements.
    (b) Requirements.--In developing and carrying out the program under 
this section, the Secretary shall--
            (1) consult with the heads of other Federal departments and 
        agencies that may benefit from purchasing power for a period of 
        not more than 40 years;
            (2) enter into one or more agreements to purchase power--
                    (A) generated by a nuclear reactor for which an 
                initial license is issued under section 103 of the 
                Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2133) after 
                January 1, 2020; and
                    (B) notwithstanding section 501(b)(1)(B) of title 
                40, United States Code, for a period of at least 10 
                years but not more than 40 years; and
            (3) not later than December 31, 2026, seek to enter into at 
        least 1 agreement described in paragraph (2) that meets the 
        specifications under subsection (c).
    (c) Factors for Consideration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into an 
        agreement under subsection (b)(3) that can provide reliable and 
        resilient power--
                    (A) in remote off-grid scenarios;
                    (B) in grid-connected scenarios that can provide 
                capabilities commonly known as ``islanding power 
                capabilities'' during an emergency scenario;
                    (C) to assets that are of high-value for national 
                security purposes; or
                    (D) for other purposes the Secretary determines to 
                be in the national interest.
            (2) Effect on rates.--An agreement to purchase power under 
        subsection (b)(3) may be for the purchase of power at a rate 
        that is higher than the average market rate.
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