Energy (Nuclear)

This resolution expresses the Alabama Legislature's support for the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation initiative, which seeks to establish campuses that modernize the nation's nuclear fuel cycle. The bill encourages state officials to respond to the Department of Energy's request for information by April 1, 2026, with the goal of securing a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus within Alabama. It also directs a copy of the resolution to be sent to Governor Kay Ivey to facilitate this effort. The measure does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal statement of legislative intent to advance nuclear technology development in the state.

This bill is a state resolution that urges Alabama's governor and relevant agencies to recognize the economic and energy potential of spent nuclear fuel currently stored at the state's two nuclear power plants. It directs state officials to respond to a federal request by April 2026, proposing Alabama's interest in participating in a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus partnership to develop advanced recycling technologies for converting spent fuel into new liquid fuels. The resolution highlights existing research at Alabama A&M University and the Tennessee Valley Authority, aiming to secure federal funding for workforce development, university research, and small business innovation in nuclear technology. It also emphasizes the need to engage local industry partners and communities in developing a proposal that could support the state's energy security and economic growth.

This legislative resolution urges Alabama's Governor and state agencies to recognize the economic potential of spent nuclear fuel currently stored at two local nuclear power plants and to take steps toward developing it as a future energy resource. The bill specifically calls for the state to respond to a federal Department of Energy request by April 1, 2026, expressing interest in participating in Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses that would focus on recycling spent fuel into liquid fuel for advanced reactors. It highlights the potential benefits of this approach, including federal funding opportunities for universities, small businesses, and workforce programs, while noting that the uranium in spent fuel has low radioactivity and could be recycled or treated as low-level waste. The resolution also supports efforts at Alabama A&M University to establish a nuclear science center focused on liquid fuel reactor technologies and directs copies of the document to state and federal officials.