Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25
2 95th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1572
4
5 By: Representatives Ladyman, Unger, Beck, S. Meeks
6 By: Senators M. McKee, C. Penzo, Gilmore
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY ON NEW
10 NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY;
11 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO CREATE A TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY
16 ON NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY GENERATION; AND TO
17 DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
18
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
20
21 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE.
22 (a) Within sixty (60) days after the effective date that this act is
23 funded, the Department of Energy and Environment shall engage an outside
24 consulting firm to conduct a technical feasibility study on implementing
25 nuclear energy generation in this state.
26 (b) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this section
27 shall be selected based on the extent to which the consulting firm meets the
28 following criteria:
29 (1) Be well-established in the nuclear industry;
30 (2) Have a large majority of United States nuclear operators as
31 its customers;
32 (3) Have had nuclear licensing as its primary business for a
33 substantial length of time;
34 (4) Be staffed with individuals who have knowledge and expertise
35 in:
36 (A) Nuclear reactor design and operation;
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As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
1 (B) Studies of and expertise in the feasibilities of
2 various nuclear reactor technologies and designs;
3 (C) Nuclear reactor licensing, regulation, and law; and
4 (D) Nuclear reactor siting; and
5 (5) Be neutral with regard to reactor technology and designs.
6 (c) Preference shall be given to a consulting firm that is managed by
7 and owned in substantial part by military veterans with nuclear operating
8 experience from the military veterans' time in military service.
9 (d) The feasibility study shall determine:
10 (1) The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy
11 generation in this state, including without limitation the economic and
12 environmental impact;
13 (2) Conclusions and recommendations on:
14 (A) Optimal design specifications based on site
15 characteristics, possible industrial uses, and reactor technology maturity;
16 (B) Land and siting criteria, including specific areas
17 such as data centers, existing energy facilities, military bases, and
18 industrial activities requiring process heat that are best suited for new
19 nuclear generation;
20 (C) Safety criteria required;
21 (D) Engineering services required;
22 (E) The feasibility of implementing all commercially
23 licensable and available nuclear generation technologies, including small
24 modular nuclear reactors and microreactors;
25 (F) Criteria for how well the technologies under
26 subdivision (d)(2)(E) of this section are tested and if there are any cases
27 of successful research or commercial operation of the technologies; and
28 (G) Site transportation and electric transmission
29 capabilities;
30 (3) Socioeconomic assessment and impact analysis, including without
31 limitation consideration of the impact on:
32 (A) Workforce education, training, and development;
33 (B) The local and state tax base;
34 (C) Supply chains; and
35 (D) Permanent and temporary job creation;
36 (4) The timeline for development, including areas of potential
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As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
1 acceleration or efficiencies and leveraging existing facilities within this
2 state;
3 (5) Literature review of studies that have assessed the
4 potential impact of nuclear energy generation in supporting an energy
5 transition;
6 (6) Current and future policies that may be needed to support or
7 accelerate the adoption of nuclear energy generation or may improve its cost-
8 effectiveness, including a survey of federal programs and other methods that
9 could financially assist a nuclear project in this state; and
10 (7) Through an evaluation by a third party, the technical
11 accuracy and independence of the written report under subsection (f) of this
12 section.
13 (e)(1) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this section
14 shall engage and consult with the Department of Energy and Environment, the
15 investor-owned electric utilities, and the electric generation and
16 transmission cooperatives in conducting the feasibility study.
17 (2) The Department of Energy and Environment, the investor-owned
18 electric utilities, and the electric generation and transmission cooperatives
19 shall cooperate in providing information to the consulting firm hired under
20 subsection (a) of this section that is conducting the feasibility study as
21 needed, subject to notification to the investor-owned electric utilities, and
22 the electric generation and transmission cooperatives and reasonable
23 safeguards under applicable state law, including without limitation � 23-2-
24 316, to protect confidential information from being disclosed and made
25 public.
26 (3) The consulting firm hired under subsection (a) of this
27 section shall engage and consult with the Department of Energy and the
28 Environment, the investor-owned electric utilities, the electric generation
29 and transmission cooperative, and nuclear reactor and generating facility
30 manufacturers in conducting the feasibility study to establish reasonable
31 safeguards under state law to protect intellectual property and design
32 criteria necessary for the study to protect confidential information and
33 intellectual property from public disclosure.
34 (f) No later than fifteen (15) months after the effective date of this act,
35 the department shall deliver a written report on the feasibility study to
36 the:
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As Engrossed: H3/19/25 H3/31/25 H4/2/25 HB1572
1 (1) Governor;
2 (2) President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
3 (3) Majority leader of the Senate;
4 (4) Minority leader of the Senate;
5 (5) Speaker of the House of Representatives;
6 (6) Majority leader of the House of Representatives;
7 (7) Minority leader of the House of Representatives; and
8 (8) Chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Energy.
9
10 SECTION 2. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
11 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that there is not a continuous
12 adequate supply of power to Arkansas citizens and businesses; that a
13 technical feasibility study of new nuclear energy generation could provide
14 valuable information as to how to maintain a continuous adequate supply of
15 power to Arkansas citizens and businesses; and that this act is immediately
16 necessary because maintaining a continuous adequate supply of power to
17 Arkansas citizens and businesses is vital. Therefore, an emergency is
18 declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the
19 preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective
20 on:
21 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
22 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
23 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
24 bill; or
25 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
26 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
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28 /s/Ladyman
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4 04-02-2025 14:23:16 ANS110Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.