SB 271 Indiana Senate · 2022 Regular Session

Small modular nuclear reactors.

Summary
Amends the statute governing certificates of public convenience and necessity (certificates) that are issued by the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for the construction, lease, or purchase of electric generation facilities to require the IURC, in consultation with the department of environmental management (department), to adopt rules concerning the granting of certificates for the construction, purchase, or lease of small modular nuclear reactors: (1) in Indiana for the generation of electricity to be used to furnish public utility service to Indiana customers; or (2) at the site of a nuclear energy production or generating facility that supplies electricity to Indiana retail customers on July 1, 2011. Requires the IURC to adopt the rules not later than July 1, 2023. Provides that the rules adopted by the IURC must provide that in acting on a public utility's petition for a certificate for one or more small modular nuclear reactors, the IURC shall consider the following: (1) Whether, and to what extent, the one or more small modular nuclear reactors proposed by the public utility will replace a loss of generating capacity in the public utility's portfolio resulting from the retirement or planned retirement of one or more of existing electric generating facilities that: (A) are located in Indiana; and (B) use coal or natural gas as a fuel source. (2) Whether one or more of the small modular nuclear reactors will be located on the same site as or near the facility to be retired and, if so, potential opportunities for the public utility to: (A) make use of any land and existing infrastructure or facilities already owned or under the control of the public utility; or (B) create new employment opportunities for workers who have been, or would be, displaced as a result of the retirement of the existing facility. Provides that the IURC's rules must provide that the IURC may grant a certificate under circumstances and for locations other than these. Sets forth additional requirements for small modular nuclear reactors that must be included in the IURC's rules, including the requirement that the owner or operator of a proposed small modular nuclear reactor must provide evidence of a plan to apply for all licenses or permits to construct or operate the proposed small modular nuclear reactor required by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the department, or any other relevant state or federal regulatory agency. Amends the statute providing certain financial incentives for energy utilities that invest in clean energy projects by providing that, for purposes of the statute, a "clean energy project" and a "nuclear energy production or generating facility" include a small modular nuclear reactor that is constructed after June 30, 2023: (1) in Indiana for the generation of electricity to be used to furnish public utility service to Indiana customers; or (2) at the site of a nuclear energy production or generating facility that supplies electricity to Indiana retail customers on July 1, 2011; under the rules adopted by the IURC under the bill. Defines "small modular nuclear reactor" for purposes of the bill's provisions.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2022
Committee Review
Feb 2022
Senate Passage
Feb 2022
House Passage
Feb 2022
Signed into Law
Mar 2022
Introduced Jan 10, 2022 Signed Mar 18, 2022
Floor votes · House Feb 22, 2022

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
5
Committee
3
Amendments
1
Mar 18, 2022
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor
executive
Feb 23, 2022
Introduced
Returned to the Senate without amendments
lower
Feb 22, 2022
Lower · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 256: yeas 70, nays 22
lower
Feb 15, 2022
Lower · Passed
Committee report: do pass, adopted
lower
Feb 2, 2022
Committee
Referred to the House
upper
Feb 1, 2022
Upper · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 118: yeas 39, nays 9
upper
Jan 24, 2022
Upper · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
upper
3 primary · 27 co-sponsors

Sponsors