H.R. 6805: Next Generation Nuclear Deployment Act

HR6805, introduced on 2025-12-17, would expand the federal advanced reactor demonstration program by changing the Energy Policy Act of 2005, specifically 42 U.S.C. 16279a. The core shift is scale: instead of a narrower federal testing effort, the Department of Energy would be directed to prioritize testing and development of advanced reactor designs on at least 10 different sites. The bill also says at least one of those 10 sites must involve a specialized micro-reactor, guaranteeing that very small reactors are part of the program rather than an afterthought.

The bill is very specific about what kinds of reactors count. It covers fourth-generation reactors, including sodium-cooled fast reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and molten salt reactors. It also includes small modular reactors and factory-produced reactors, but only if they have a generation capacity of not more than 500 megawatts of electricity. Specialized micro-reactors are defined even more tightly: they must be capable of producing up to 10 megawatts of electricity and be designed for deployment in remote locations or for specialized applications.

A major practical change is where projects can happen. Under HR6805, these advanced reactor designs could be tested and developed on any site regardless of whether it is owned or operated by the Department of Energy. That opens the door to private, university, utility, and other non-DOE locations, which could make it easier to find host sites and move projects forward faster. The bill also requires the Secretary of Energy to seek cost-sharing arrangements with private industry and research institutions to strengthen testing and development under the amended program.

What the bill does not do is just as important: the fact sheet includes no new dollar authorization, no grant amount, no deadline for selecting the 10 sites, and no civil or criminal penalties. So this is mainly a structural and eligibility bill. It broadens the map for nuclear demonstrations, locks in a minimum of 10 sites, and pushes DOE to work with outside partners, but it leaves the money and timeline to later decisions.