Senate Votes 88-2 To Bolster Key Energy Sector

What is this vote?

• On June 18, 2024, the United States Senate passed a major energy legislation package by a vote of 88–2. Wikipedia+2Reuters+2

• The legislation is known as the ADVANCE Act (“Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy”) —though in the Senate it was included as part of a broader bill, the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S. 870). Wikipedia+2E&E News by POLITICO+2

• The same package had already passed the House of Representatives by a wide margin (393–13) before reaching the Senate. Wikipedia+1

• After Senate approval, the bill heads to the President for signature to become law. Reuters+1

Thus the 88–2 vote marks a rare moment of strong bipartisan consensus on U.S. energy policy — particularly nuclear energy — in a highly partisan Congress. E&E News by POLITICO+1

What’s in the bill — key provisions and goals

The ADVANCE Act (as embedded in S. 870) includes a range of reforms intended to modernize and expand nuclear energy development in the United States. Its main provisions:

• Streamlining approvals and reducing red tape. The bill makes it easier and faster to license new nuclear reactors. That includes easing the regulatory/permitting process, cutting licensing fees charged to developers, and mandating that the federal regulator — the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) — produce a plan to simplify and speed up environmental reviews that often delay projects. Saga News+2THEOFFBEAT24+2

• Support for advanced nuclear technologies. The legislation aims to facilitate deployment of “next-generation” nuclear technologies, including so-called “small modular reactors” (SMRs), which proponents view as key to the future of nuclear energy in America. Conservative Brief+2The Archivist+2

• Reinvigorating domestic nuclear capacity. As many existing nuclear reactors age and approach retirement, the bill is designed to encourage new construction — effectively preserving and expanding the country’s nuclear generation capacity. Conservative Brief+2Saga News+2

• Economic incentives and industry revitalization. By lowering financial and regulatory burdens for companies, the measure intends to attract private investment, stimulate growth in the nuclear sector, and create new jobs tied to plant construction, operation, and advanced reactor development. E&E News by POLITICO+2POWER Magazine+2

• Energy security and national competitiveness. Backers argue that strengthening the nuclear sector will bolster U.S. energy independence, lessen reliance on foreign energy sources, and help the U.S. maintain leadership in global nuclear technology — especially important at a time of geopolitical energy uncertainty. POWER Magazine+2Wikipedia+2

In short: the bill is intended to make nuclear energy more viable, economical, and scalable — supporting a next-generation nuclear “renaissance” in the United States. POWER Magazine+2Wikipedia+2

Why now — the driving context

Several converging factors made this moment ripe for such legislation:

• Aging nuclear infrastructure. Many existing U.S. nuclear reactors are reaching the end of their service lives. Without new construction, domestic nuclear capacity could shrink substantially — undermining both energy reliability and carbon-free generation capacity. The bill responds to precisely that risk. Conservative Brief+2Saga News+2

• Climate and clean-energy goals. Nuclear power is one of the few low-carbon energy sources that can provide steady “baseload” electricity, unlike intermittent renewables like solar or wind. As the U.S. and the world push to decarbonize, nuclear energy offers a stable backbone to complement renewables. E&E News by POLITICO+2POWER Magazine+2

• Interest in advanced nuclear technologies. New designs — especially SMRs — promise potentially safer, more flexible, and more cost-effective nuclear power than older “gigawatt-scale” plants. For many lawmakers and industry stakeholders, supporting SMRs represents investing in the future of nuclear. Conservative Brief+2The Archivist+2

• Economic and strategic considerations. With a shifting global energy landscape, concerns about energy security, supply-chain disruptions (especially for nuclear fuel), and competition from other nations have made domestic nuclear capacity more strategically important. The new legislation seeks to ensure the U.S. remains competitive internationally and energy-independent at home. POWER Magazine+2Wikipedia+2

• Bipartisan political alignment. Unlike many contentious energy debates (e.g. fossil vs renewables), nuclear energy enjoys an unusual degree of bipartisan support: climate-conscious Democrats often see it as vital for decarbonization; Republicans often see it as a path to reliable electricity, jobs, and energy security. This convergence helped push the bill through with a wide margin. E&E News by POLITICO+2Wikipedia+2

Given this context — aging reactors, climate urgency, technological advances, economic opportunity, and cross-party agreement — the bill presented a compelling opportunity for lawmakers to act.

What supporters say — the upsides of the legislation

Proponents of the bill highlight several interlocking benefits, spanning environment, economy, security, and industry competitiveness:

• Fighting climate change while ensuring stable baseload power. Nuclear energy produces electricity with near-zero carbon emissions while delivering consistent output — avoiding the intermittency problems of solar or wind. This makes it a valuable complement to renewables in efforts to decarbonize the energy grid. E&E News by POLITICO+2POWER Magazine+2

• Modernizing the nuclear sector and encouraging innovation. By lowering licensing costs, speeding up reviews, and supporting advanced reactor technologies, the bill could spur a wave of innovation and modernization in U.S. nuclear power — potentially establishing a long-term domestic nuclear renaissance. POWER Magazine+2Wikipedia+2

• Economic growth and job creation. New reactor construction and maintenance, advanced reactor R&D and deployment, and expanded nuclear supply chains could create thousands of high-quality jobs, stimulate investment, and revitalize communities — especially in regions anchored by existing or former fossil fuel infrastructure. E&E News by POLITICO+2POWER Magazine+2

• Energy security and national competitiveness. A stronger domestic nuclear sector reduces dependence on foreign fuel sources, hedges against global energy market volatility, and helps the U.S. maintain leadership in nuclear technology globally — important in geopolitically unstable times. POWER Magazine+2Wikipedia+2

• Bipartisan political momentum and feasibility. Because nuclear energy offers a mix of climate, security, and economic benefits, the bill attracted broad support across party lines — a rare feat for major energy legislation. That increases its chances of implementation and sets a precedent for future cross-party cooperation on energy policy. E&E News by POLITICO+2Wikipedia+2

Supporters — including lawmakers, industry groups, and certain energy policy think tanks — described the bill as an essential “win-win-win”: job creation, climate progress, and energy stability. One sponsor cited the measure as “history-making” for the future of nuclear power. E&E News by POLITICO+2Conservative Brief+2

What critics warn — risks and concerns

Not everyone is thrilled. The bill, while broadly supported, has drawn significant criticism — especially from environmental, safety, and regulatory watchdogs. The main concerns:

• Potential erosion of safety and oversight. Some critics argue that by streamlining approvals, reducing fees, and easing regulatory burdens, the bill could weaken the role of the NRC — undermining rigorous safety and environmental safeguards essential to nuclear energy. E&E News by POLITICO+2Conservative Brief+2

• Rushing environmental review. Environmental review and licensing processes exist to ensure nuclear projects don’t cause undue harm to communities or the environment. Critics worry the pressure to speed up or simplify reviews might cause corners to be cut, increasing risk. Saga News+1

• Long-term cost and feasibility concerns. Historically, nuclear projects — especially traditional large reactors — have suffered from runaway costs and long delays. While SMRs are promising, it’s not guaranteed that they will deliver on cost, safety, or scalability the way proponents hope. Wikipedia+1

• Opposition from some lawmakers and activists. Notably, the only two votes against the bill came from Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). They raised concerns that combining crucial nuclear licensing reforms with a reauthorization of firefighting programs (i.e. the bundling of different policy areas) was a legislative “poison pill.” Conservative Brief+21st News+2

• Skepticism about whether nuclear belongs at the center of “clean energy.” Some environmental advocates argue nuclear — while low-carbon — brings waste, safety, and proliferation risks, and might divert resources from renewables and storage technologies that many consider safer, more flexible, and more rapidly deployable. Though this criticism is not new, the bill’s broad scope has renewed debate over nuclear’s role in a clean-energy future. E&E News by POLITICO+2Saga News+2

Thus, critics warn that while the bill may speed up nuclear deployment, it could do so at the expense of robust oversight — potentially undermining safety or environmental protection.

Why this matters — broader implications

This vote and the passage of the ADVANCE Act potentially mark a turning point for U.S. energy policy and the future of nuclear power. Some of the broader implications:

• Potential revival of the U.S. nuclear industry. For decades, nuclear power has struggled in the U.S., hindered by high costs, lengthy regulatory processes, and competition from cheap fossil fuels. The new legislation may reboot nuclear as a major part of America’s energy mix — especially if SMRs and advanced reactors become commercially viable.

• A more diversified energy mix — balancing renewables, fossil fuels, and nuclear. As the country works toward decarbonization, relying solely on intermittent renewables may pose reliability challenges. Nuclear can provide stable baseload power, complementing solar, wind, hydro, and storage, and helping ensure grid stability.

• Boost for energy security and industrial competitiveness. A robust domestic nuclear sector reduces reliance on foreign energy supplies, strengthens supply chains (especially for nuclear fuel and components), and supports technological leadership — all increasingly important in a geopolitically uncertain world.

• Opportunity for job creation and regional economic development. Building and operating new nuclear plants — including SMRs — can create high-skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs. Regions with aging fossil fuel infrastructure may benefit most, offering a transition pathway to clean-energy jobs.

• A test case for bipartisan energy legislation. The 88–2 vote demonstrates that, under the right conditions, Congress can pass significant energy legislation with wide support. That could open the door for more comprehensive clean-energy bills — though success may depend on appealing to both climate and economic priorities.

If widely implemented, the bill might reshape the U.S. energy landscape over the next decades — helping nuclear emerge as a mainstream, modern, and strategically significant energy source.

What to watch — next steps and uncertainties

Even with Senate passage, a number of questions remain. Key things to watch:

• Presidential signature: The bill must still be signed by Joe Biden (or veto overridden) to become law. Given its broad support and political momentum, signature seems likely — but until then, nothing is final.

• Implementation by regulators: The actual impact depends heavily on how the NRC and other federal agencies implement the bill — how quickly licensing is streamlined, environmental reviews are reformed, and new reactor designs are approved. If regulators drag their feet, reforms may have limited practical effect.

• Investment by private industry: For the bill to achieve its potential, private companies must invest in building advanced reactors — including SMRs. This will depend on economic viability, access to capital, and confidence in regulatory stability.

• Safety, environmental, and community response: Local communities, environmental groups, and safety advocates may resist new reactor proposals — especially if they perceive shortcuts in review or oversight. How those concerns are addressed could shape public acceptance (or backlash).

• How this integrates with broader clean-energy policy: Nuclear is only one piece of the energy puzzle. Whether this leads to balanced growth in renewables, storage, grid upgrades, and efficiency — or becomes a pretext to de-emphasize those — will influence the long-term carbon and energy outcomes for the country.

Conclusion: A significant — but cautious — milestone

The Senate’s 88–2 vote to pass the ADVANCE Act represents a landmark moment for U.S. energy policy. For the first time in years, Congress has endorsed an ambitious, forward-looking package designed to revitalize nuclear energy — reducing regulatory burdens, promoting advanced reactor technologies, and setting the stage for new construction.

Supporters see the move as essential to meeting climate goals, ensuring reliable clean electricity, strengthening energy security, and boosting economic growth. Critics warn that in the rush to build, we might be compromising safety, environmental oversight, and long-term sustainability.

At a moment when the U.S. — and the world — is confronting a dangerous climate crisis, aging energy infrastructure, and volatile global energy markets, the bill offers a pragmatic blend of ambition and realism. Yet its success will depend not just on legislation, but on execution — by regulators, industry, and communities alike.

In that sense, the 88–2 vote is not an end, but a beginning: a starting gun for a potential nuclear energy renaissance — one that could reshape the U.S. energy system for decades to come