The U.S. Department of Energy issued application guidelines for the second cycle of the agency's Civil Nuclear Credit Program, $6 billion investment designed to prevent the early retirement of nuclear reactors.
The CNC is funded by President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aiming to support the integration of renewable energy into the grid by incorporating nuclear reactors, according to a March 2 news release.
“President Biden’s $6 billion investment in the Civil Nuclear Credit Program made it abundantly clear that preserving the domestic nuclear fleet is critical to reaching America’s clean energy future,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in the release. “Expanding the scope of this Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will allow even more nuclear facilities the opportunity to continue operating as economic drivers in local communities that benefit from cheap, clean and reliable power.”
The first award cycle was limited to owners and operators of nuclear reactors that were set to be retired within the four-year award period, the release reported. The latest cycle is open to owners and operators of nuclear reactors at risk of closure, including those that closed operations after November 15, 2021.
Shifting energy markets and economic factors have led to the closure of 13 commercial nuclear power reactors across the U.S. in the last decade, according to the release. Energy Department data shows closing nuclear power plants can lead to an increase in air pollutants and carbon emissions, and the credit program aims to add renewable energy and jobs to the economy.
