States take many approaches to incentivize or restrict nuclear energy production.
Missouri currently does not have any statutory nuclear incentives or regulations.
See our related Science Note on Nuclear Energy for more information.
States take many approaches to incentivize or restrict nuclear energy production (Table 1). Missouri currently does not have any statutory nuclear incentives or regulations.
Table 1. Summary of state nuclear energy policies, as of February 2023 (NCSL n.d.; Shea 2017).
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency that regulates nuclear reactor and material safety. They also license new reactors and perform safety and environmental reviews.
Two recent federal pieces of legislation include provisions to support new and existing nuclear energy operations in the U.S.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) includes incentives for nuclear power plants, such as:
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides additional nuclear energy incentives, including an up to $15 per MWh production tax credit for utilities to help existing nuclear reactors prevent closure.
Under the IRA, new plants can either claim:
These incentives include a 10% bonus if the plant is built in a:
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). (n.d.). States restrictions on New Nuclear Power Facility Construction. National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/states-restrictions-on-new-nuclear-power-facility-construction
Shea, D. (2017, May 30). Report state options to keep nuclear in the energy mix. NCSL. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.ncsl.org/energy/state-options-to-keep-nuclear-in-the-energy-mix