H.R. 6805: Next Generation Nuclear Deployment Act

The core idea is scale and access. Right now the federal advanced reactor demonstration program runs at a limited number of sites. H.R. 6805 would direct the Energy Department to prioritize testing across at least 10 different sites, and require that at least one of them be a specialized micro-reactor — a very small reactor built for remote places or specialized jobs.

The bill is specific about what counts as an advanced reactor. It covers fourth-generation designs like sodium-cooled fast reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and molten salt reactors. Small modular and factory-produced reactors also qualify, but only if they generate no more than 500 megawatts of electricity. Specialized micro-reactors are capped tighter still: up to 10 megawatts, designed for remote locations or specialized applications.

The biggest practical change is where this work can happen. The bill would let advanced reactors be tested and developed on any site, whether or not the Energy Department owns or operates it. That opens the door to private companies, universities, and utilities hosting demonstrations — which could make it easier to find willing sites and move faster.

It also tells the Secretary of Energy to seek cost-sharing deals with private industry and research institutions, so outside partners help foot the bill and run the tests.

What the bill doesn't do matters too. There's no new funding amount, no deadline for picking the 10 sites, and no penalties. This is a structural bill: it widens the map and sets a minimum number of sites, but leaves the money and the timeline to later decisions.