A bill from a North Carolina representative aimed at lowering Americans’ energy bills through increased nuclear power generation has passed both the House and the Senate.
It will next go to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature if there are no differences to be resolved, or if there are only minor ones.
The fight has been long. Republican Rep. Richard Hudson introduced the Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act in November. The bill passed the House in February and is now included in the bipartisan, bicameral nuclear energy reform bill, the Fire Aid and Safety Act of 2023.
Specifically, the legislation “will reduce barriers to entry for commercial developers of advanced reactor technologies, provide regulatory certainty, and reduce bureaucratic red tape associated with applications to develop, implement, and demonstrate ANRs,” according to a release from Hudson’s office.
ANR is an abbreviation for Advanced Nuclear Reactor.
“Increasing our domestic production of affordable, clean energy lowers our energy bills, creates American jobs, reduces inflation and makes the world safer. It’s also good for the environment. I urge President Biden to make energy security a priority and swiftly sign this historic nuclear energy reform bill into law,” the lawmakers said.
Citing his own accomplishments on the WhiteHouse.gov website, Biden touts “building a more resilient electric grid and expanding new clean energy technologies.”But context is needed on two fronts.
First, the Biden administration has favored people who work on environmental issues such as alternative fuel vehicles. Its policies also support wind and electric energy. Second, another point of his record is “reducing everyday household expenses” through inflation control legislation.
Inflation has risen from 1.4% in January 2021, when Trump took office, to 9.1% in June 2022 and 3.3% in May, leading to a consensus that Americans are now paying more, in some cases significantly more, than they were three years ago.
