---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13493"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13493"
heading: "Commercialization of advanced light water reactor technology"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13493"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter IX — Energy and Environment"
  - "Part C — Advanced Nuclear Reactors"
---

# §13493. Commercialization of advanced light water reactor technology

- (a) **Certification of designs—** In order to achieve the goal of [certification](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-4) of completed [standardized designs](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-3) by the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) by 1996 as set forth in [section 13492(b) of this title](/usc/42/13492.md?p=b), the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall conduct a 5-year program of technical and financial assistance to encourage the development and submission for [certification](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-4) of advanced light water reactor designs which, in the judgment of the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2), can be certified by the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) by no later than the end of fiscal year 1996.
- (b) **First-of-a-kind engineering—**
  - (1) **Establishment of program—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall conduct a program of Federal financial and technical assistance for the first-of-a-kind engineering design of standardized commercial nuclear powerplants which are included, as of October 24, 1992, in the Department of Energy’s program for [certification](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-4) of advanced light water reactor designs.
  - (2) **Selection criteria—** In order to be eligible for assistance under this subsection, an entity shall certify to the satisfaction of the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) that—
    - (A) the entity, or its members, are bona fide entities engaged in the design, engineering, manufacture, [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), or operation of nuclear reactors;
    - (B) the entity, or its members, have the financial resources necessary for, and fully intend to pursue the design, engineering, manufacture, [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), and operation in the United States of nuclear power plants[^1] through completion of [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) and into operation;
    - (C) the design proposed is scheduled for [certification](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-4) by the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) under the Department of Energy’s program for [certification](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-4) of light water reactor designs; and
    - (D) at least 50 percent of the funding for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) shall be obtained from non-Federal sources, and a substantial portion of that non-Federal funding shall be obtained from utilities or entities whose primary purpose is the production of electrical power for public consumption.
  - (3) **Program documents—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall prepare and submit to the Congress a program document for each design selected under this subsection, specifying goals and objectives, major milestones for achieving those goals and objectives, and the work products to be provided to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) or made available for inspection.
  - (4) **Funding limitations—**
    - (A) Before entering into an agreement with an entity under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall establish a cost ceiling for the contribution of the Federal Government for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and shall report such cost ceiling to the Congress.
    - (B) No entity shall receive assistance under this subsection for a period greater than 4 years.
    - (C) The aggregate funding provided by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this subsection shall not exceed $100,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 1993 through 1997.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “powerplants”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title XXI, § 2123, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3083.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Subsec. (b)(5) of this section, which required the Secretary to submit annually to Congress a status report on each project receiving assistance under subsec. (b), terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, the last item on page 85 of House Document No. 103–7.