TRENTON, NJ – A new bill in New Jersey seeks to guide the development of small modular nuclear reactors by directing the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish regulations for their construction and operation. Additionally, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) is authorized to use funds from the “Global Warming Solutions Fund” to incentivize these projects.
Does this mean Governor Phil Murphy’s wind energy push is having problems? It’s uncertain, but the bill is a bi-partisan bill proposed by two unlikely allies, staunchly conservative Republican Senator Michael Testa and North Jersey Hudson County Democrat Raj Mukherji.
Defined by the bill, a “small modular nuclear reactor” must have a capacity of no more than 300 megawatts, be licensable by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and capable of standalone or collective operation at a single site. The BPU will be required to evaluate petitions for constructing, buying, or leasing these reactors, specifically assessing their potential to replace retiring coal or natural gas power facilities within the state.
Considerations will include whether a new reactor can utilize existing sites and infrastructure, and how it might provide job opportunities for workers affected by facility closures. The bill also stipulates that operators cannot store spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste on-site without meeting all federal regulations.