Sponsors (2)
The bill improves U.S. understanding and planning for nuclear-reactor risks in conflict zones—potentially reducing civilian and environmental harm—while posing trade-offs around disclosure risk, implementation costs, and short-term resource diversion.
Military personnel, state and local governments will receive timely unclassified assessments of risks to nuclear reactors in conflict-prone regions, enabling better prevention and contingency planning.
Urban communities and utilities/energy companies will benefit from identified mitigation steps U.S. and allied governments can take to reduce civilian harm and environmental damage during conflicts.
Federal employees and military leadership will see improved interagency coordination between Defense and Nuclear Security leadership on reactor risk assessments, strengthening planning and response.
Public unclassified findings could reveal reactor vulnerabilities that adversaries might exploit if not carefully redacted, increasing security risks for military personnel and nearby communities.
Taxpayers, state governments, and allied partners may incur funding and operational costs to implement recommended mitigation steps.
Preparing and producing the report could divert time and resources from other Defense and NNSA priorities in the short term, affecting federal employees and military operations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DoD and DOE/NNSA to produce a joint unclassified risk assessment (optional classified annex) of reactors in conflict-prone regions and recommend prevention/mitigation steps.
Official title: Require reports on the dangers posed by nuclear reactors in areas that might experience armed conflict.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Edward John Markey · Last progress May 12, 2026
Requires the Defense Secretary and the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security to deliver an unclassified risk assessment (with optional classified annex) within 120 days of enactment. The report must evaluate vulnerabilities and risks to existing and near-future nuclear reactors located in or near regions that have experienced or are likely to experience armed conflict over the past 25 years, and recommend prevention, preparedness, and mitigation steps the U.S. and partners can take. The assessment must cover reactors in regions explicitly cited (including Russian attacks on Ukraine and Middle East conflicts involving Israel and Iran) and identify additional contested or potentially war-implicated areas (examples named include potential Russian attacks on Baltic states, India–Pakistan conflict, Taiwan, and North Korea attacking South Korea).