Bill > A5517

This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, to conduct a study on the feasibility of developing "advanced reactors" statewide, which are defined as nuclear reactors with significant improvements over existing ones, offering enhanced safety, lower waste, and greater efficiency, and can be modular in size. The BPU must submit a report within 18 months, detailing suitable locations for these reactors, including former industrial sites and retired power plants, and examining regulatory requirements, economic viability, safety precautions, environmental impacts, and integration with existing energy infrastructure. The study will also involve public stakeholder sessions to gauge public perception and will include recommendations for a pilot program. The bill also clarifies the definition of a "nuclear reactor" and "small modular reactor" (SMR), with advanced reactors having a thermal capacity of up to 1,000 megawatts. The BPU is authorized to secure funding from federal and state grants, private investments, and public-private partnerships to carry out this study, which will expire 30 days after the report is submitted.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5517