Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) with the exclusive jurisdiction to certify thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more. Existing law prohibits the Energy Commission from certifying a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except for specified powerplants, and provides that a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except those specified powerplants, is not a permitted land use in California unless certain conditions are met regarding the existence of technology for the construction and operation of nuclear fuel rod processing plants and of demonstrated technology or means for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste, as specified.

This bill would exempt advanced nuclear reactors, as defined, from that prohibition. The bill would require the commission, before making a determination that an advanced nuclear reactor is not subject to the prohibition, to verify that the owner, operator, or developer of the advanced nuclear reactor has made legally enforceable commitment to comply with certain labor requirements. The bill would, except as provided, require the owner, operator, or developer of an advanced nuclear reactor that is certified by the commission to comply with those labor requirements.