Bill Overview
Title: National Strategy to Utilize Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts Act
Description: This bill directs the President to develop a national strategy to utilize microreactors to assist with natural disaster response efforts. A microreactor is a nuclear reactor with at most 20 megawatts of thermal energy generating capacity. Specifically, such strategy must include an assessment of the effectiveness of utilizing diesel generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts; a comprehensive, research-based, and long-term discussion of goals, objectives, and priorities for utilizing microreactors instead of diesel generators to assist with such efforts; a Department of Defense analysis regarding the use of such microreactors to assist with such efforts; recommendations on how the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may expedite the approval of designs for microreactors and issuing licenses; an assessment of the challenges and barriers to deploying microreactors to assist with such efforts and solutions; and recommendations on how to utilize microreactors as charging stations for electric vehicles in the event of a mass evacuation resulting from a natural disaster.
Sponsors: Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Target Audience
Population: Populations affected by natural disasters and emergency response sectors
Estimated Size: 50000000
- Microreactors could provide a more reliable energy source during natural disasters, affecting regions frequently hit by such events, like coastal areas prone to hurricanes or regions with frequent earthquakes.
- The implementation of microreactors could minimize dependency on diesel generators, impacting industries related to diesel production and distribution.
- There will be an impact on regulatory bodies, like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, due to an increase in workload and potential changes in policy and procedure.
- Populations within areas prone to natural disasters will have enhanced energy reliability, affecting local communities, emergency services, and first responders across the globe.
- Microreactors as an energy solution during mass evacuations could significantly impact disaster management strategies, especially in densely populated regions.
Reasoning
- The US is frequently subject to natural disasters, particularly in coastal areas where hurricanes are prevalent. Microreactors could provide a more reliable and sustainable energy source compared to diesel generators, which may impact people living in those areas.
- Industries related to diesel manufacturing and distribution might be somewhat negatively impacted due to reduced reliance on diesel generators. However, the relatively small scale of microreactors means that diesel generators will still likely play a role, especially in remote areas that are disadvantaged for shipping and infrastructure.
- Regulatory bodies like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will experience increased workloads, which means potential bottlenecks initially until workflows can be optimized. Agencies involved in disaster response and planning would need to adapt to these new technologies, affecting their operations.
- First responders and emergency services might see an improvement in their capability to provide disaster relief as reliable microreactor energy would support critical infrastructure more effectively during disasters.
- Mass evacuation efforts could benefit significantly from microreactors due to their potential as charging stations for electric vehicles. This is particularly pertinent in regions with high electric vehicle adoption rates.
- Overall, the policy could improve the resilience and efficiency of disaster response systems, improving self-reported wellbeing over time in affected areas.
Simulated Interviews
Emergency Response Coordinator (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Using microreactors seems like a great step forward. Diesel generators can be unreliable, and having a more sustainable option would be fantastic during hurricane season.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Oil Industry Worker (Houston, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about how microreactors will affect my job in diesel production. They might reduce the demand for what we make.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Retired Teacher (San Diego, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've had to evacuate multiple times due to wildfires, and power outages are scary. If microreactors can help maintain power, I'm all for it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Government Regulatory Officer (New York, NY)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will surely increase our workload with more reviews and compliance checks for microreactors, which might be overwhelming at first.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Environmental Scientist (Boulder, CO)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From an environmental perspective, microreactors present a cleaner alternative to diesel. This shift aligns well with our goals towards sustainability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Electrician (Anchorage, AK)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- In remote areas, energy shortages exacerbate disaster recovery. Microreactors could be a game changer here.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Developer (Kansas City, MO)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I doubt microreactors will affect my power reliability directly, as our storms are manageable with current infrastructure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Recent College Graduate (Sacramento, CA)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think microreactors would be great, especially if they can help with charging electric vehicles during evacuations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Logistics Manager for a Delivery Company (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Incorporating microreactors could change the way we plan logistics for disaster relief. However, transitioning from diesel might complicate existing systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Nurse (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If microrreactors can stabilize power during hurricanes, it would alleviate a lot of stress for older and vulnerable populations like myself.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 3: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 5: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $14000000)
Year 10: $13000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $15000000)
Year 100: $15000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $17000000)
Key Considerations
- Developing regulatory frameworks for microreactor deployment is critical for avoiding delays.
- Ensuring the security and safety of microreactors is paramount due to potential risks associated with nuclear technologies.
- Collaboration between various government agencies is necessary to streamline strategy implementation and regulation harmonization.