U.S. Announces $25 Million to Support Access to Clean Nuclear Energy

During the COP26 World Leaders Summit in Glasgow, the UN Climate Change Conference, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins announced the United States’ commitment of $25 million in support towards expanding access to clean nuclear energy.  The announcement, also called a “Nuclear Futures Package,” represents efforts from across the U.S. government, and includes ongoing programs and projects under development to:

• advance large-scale, clean, and modern nuclear power generation,
• demonstrate the potential of nuclear-produced hydrogen to fuel the transition to clean energy, and
• advance innovative, secure, and safe nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors.

As part of the Nuclear Futures Package, the United States is pleased to partner with Poland, Kenya, Ukraine, Brazil, Romania, and Indonesia, among others, to support progress on meeting their nuclear energy goals.  Efforts include capacity building, equipment, feasibility and siting studies, demonstration projects, study tours, site visits, technical collaboration, and more.

Included in this commitment is the Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Initiative, which the United States launched at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate.  Also included is the U.S. SMR Public Private Program and associated Small Modular and Advanced Reactor Standards and Regulations Workshop Series. These programs are designed to support key steps necessary for the safe, secure, and responsible deployment of emerging nuclear technologies.

The Nuclear Futures Package underscores the United States’ strong commitment to energy innovation and nuclear technology as an important component of achieving global climate change goals.  In addition to Department of State, these activities are carried out by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Departments of Commerce and Energy.

“The United States looks forward to working with partner countries to advance clean energy innovation and responsible, secure and safe use of nuclear power to enhance energy security, increase access to clean, reliable energy, and support climate objectives for the collective betterment of our world. We are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to supporting energy innovation to facilitate the global clean energy transition in a smart, cost-effective, and secure way.

Today we are announcing our support of $25 million towards expanding access to clean nuclear energy, including ongoing programs and projects under development.

Many countries are identifying nuclear energy as a key component of meeting ambitious climate plans. SMRs offer the potential for lower costs, scalability and flexibility, and are easily integrated with other clean energy sources. They can be deployed to match the specific needs of a country’s power grid, with the ability to scale-up quickly as demand dictates. They can be easily a part of any clean energy solution mix for a country or region needing to transition its energy sector away from fossil sources.

SMRs can also play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors beyond power generation. They can be used for clean hydrogen production, industrial process heat, and desalinated water to meet decarbonization goals, air quality standards, and clean water needs,” reads a fact sheet on the Nuclear Futures Package, delivered by the US Embassy in Bucharest.

U.S. Support to Romania

According to the above-mentioned source, Romania is set to receive U.S. technical assistance to advance its goals to become an SMR educational and training hub in the region. The assistance covers cooperation on establishing an SMR simulator at one of its premier universities and support for an SMR siting study, a reverse trade mission, and an SMR regulations workshop series.  This assistance will complement Romania’s commitment at COP26 to bring U.S. built SMR technology to Romania by possibly 2028.

“The United States can always assure its partners that U.S. technologies are designed, developed, built, and used under the highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation. These standards make international collaboration possible without raising the risks relating to security or proliferation.”