NJ S4423

The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) receives sole authority to approve sites for small modular reactors (SMRs), defined as nuclear reactors with capacity of 300 megawatts or less that require NRC licensing

SMR sites may only be approved in municipalities where a nuclear energy facility has previously been constructed, and BPU approval preempts any conflicting local ordinances or county decisions

SMR operators may store spent nuclear fuel on-site until a national high-level radioactive waste repository is developed under the federal Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982

BPU must develop, in cooperation with the NJ Economic Development Authority, a financial incentive program for SMR construction within one year of enactment

BPU must adopt rules covering decommissioning, environmental monitoring, and emergency preparedness, though the bill does not exempt SMRs from state building codes, radiation protection laws, or environmental regulations