In January 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) published a list of five nuclear energy stories to watch in 2022. Here’s an update on the items the NE felt were important for industry insiders to keep an eye on.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The DOE noted in the January write-up that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included more than $62 billion for the department to help transition the country to a “clean energy economy” and that included $6 billion to start a Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program. The intention of the program is for owners or operators of commercial U.S. reactors to apply for certification and competitively bid on credits to help support their continued operations and avoid premature retirements due to “financial hardship.” Back in January, the DOE suggested it would start awarding its first credits to U.S. nuclear power plants as early as the fall. In the end, it achieved that objective.
