Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 707 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1572 3
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By: Representatives Ladyman, Unger, Beck, S. Meeks 5
By: Senators M. McKee, C. Penzo, Gilmore 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY ON NEW 9
NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; 10
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY 15
ON NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION; AND TO 16
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 17
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. 21
(a) Within sixty (60) days after the effective date that this act is 22
funded, the Department of Energy and Environment shall engage an outside 23
consulting firm to conduct a technical feasibility study on implementing 24
nuclear energy generation in this state. 25
(b) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this section 26
shall be selected based on the extent to which the consulting firm meets the 27
following criteria: 28
(1) Be well-established in the nuclear industry; 29
(2) Have a large majority of United States nuclear operators as 30
its customers; 31
(3) Have had nuclear licensing as its primary business for a 32
substantial length of time; 33
(4) Be staffed with individuals who have knowledge and expertise 34
in: 35
(A) Nuclear reactor design and operation; 36 As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
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(B) Studies of and expertise in the feasibilities of 1
various nuclear reactor technologies and designs; 2
(C) Nuclear reactor licensing, regulation, and law; and 3
(D) Nuclear reactor siting; and 4
(5) Be neutral with regard to reactor technology and designs. 5
(c) Preference shall be given to a consulting firm that is managed by 6
and owned in substantial part by military veterans with nuclear operating 7
experience from the military veterans' time in military service. 8
(d) The feasibility study shall determine: 9
(1) The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy 10
generation in this state, including without limitation the economic and 11
environmental impact; 12
(2) Conclusions and recommendations on: 13
(A) Optimal design specifications based on site 14
characteristics, possible industrial uses, and reactor technology maturity; 15
(B) Land and siting criteria, including specific areas 16
such as data centers, existing energy facilities, military bases, and 17
industrial activities requiring process heat that are best suited for new 18
nuclear generation; 19
(C) Safety criteria required; 20
(D) Engineering services required; 21
(E) The feasibility of implementing all commercially 22
licensable and available nuclear generation technologies, including small 23
modular nuclear reactors and microreactors; 24
(F) Criteria for how well the technologies under 25
subdivision (d)(2)(E) of this section are tested and if there are any cases 26
of successful research or commercial operation of the technologies; and 27
(G) Site transportation and electric transmission 28
capabilities; 29
(3) Socioeconomic assessment and impact analysis, including without 30
limitation consideration of the impact on: 31
(A) Workforce education, training, and development; 32
(B) The local and state tax base; 33
(C) Supply chains; and 34
(D) Permanent and temporary job creation; 35
(4) The timeline for development, including areas of potential 36 As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
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acceleration or efficiencies and leveraging existing facilities within this 1
state; 2
(5) Literature review of studies that have assessed the 3
potential impact of nuclear energy generation in supporting an energy 4
transition; 5
(6) Current and future policies that may be needed to support or 6
accelerate the adoption of nuclear energy generation or may improve its cost -7
effectiveness, including a survey of federal programs and other methods that 8
could financially assist a nuclear project in this state; and 9
(7) Through an evaluation by a third party, the technical 10
accuracy and independence of the written report under subsection (f) of this 11
section. 12
(e)(1) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this section 13
shall engage and consult with the Department of Energy and Environment, the 14
investor-owned electric utilities, and the electric generation and 15
transmission cooperatives in conducting the feasibility study. 16
(2) The Department of Energy and Environment, the investor -owned 17
electric utilities, and the electric generation and transmission cooperatives 18
shall cooperate in providing information to the consulting firm hired under 19
subsection (a) of this section that is conducting the feasibility study as 20
needed, subject to notification to the investor -owned electric utilities, and 21
the electric generation and transmission cooperatives and reasonable 22
safeguards under applicable state law, including without limitation ยง 23 -2-23
316, to protect confidential information from being disclosed and made 24
public. 25
(3) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this 26
section shall engage and consult with the Department of Energy and the 27
Environment, the investor -owned electric utilities, the electric generation 28
and transmission cooperative, and nuclear reactor and generating facility 29
manufacturers in conducting the feasibility study to establish reasonable 30
safeguards under state law to protect intellectual property and design 31
criteria necessary for the study to protect confidential information and 32
intellectual property from public disclosure. 33
(f) No later than fifteen (15) months after the effective date of this act, 34
the department shall deliver a written report on the feasibility study to 35
the: 36 As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
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(1) Governor; 1
(2) President Pro Tempore of the Senate; 2
(3) Majority leader of the Senate; 3
(4) Minority leader of the Senate; 4
(5) Speaker of the House of Representatives; 5
(6) Majority leader of the House of Representatives; 6
(7) Minority leader of the House of Representatives; and 7
(8) Chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Energy. 8
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SECTION 2. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 10
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that there is not a continuous 11
adequate supply of power to Arkansas citizens and businesses; that a 12
technical feasibility study of new nuclear energy generation could provide 13
valuable information as to how to maintain a continuous adequate supply of 14
power to Arkansas citizens and businesses; and that this act is immediately 15
necessary because maintaining a continuous adequate supply of power to 16
Arkansas citizens and businesses is vital. Therefore, an emergency is 17
declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the 18
preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective 19
on: 20
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 21
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 22
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 23
bill; or 24
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 25
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 26
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/s/Ladyman 28
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APPROVED: 4/16/25 31
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