S. 1739 — International Nuclear Energy Financing Act of 2025

This section sets forth congressional findings on nuclear power as an emissions-free source producing approximately 30% of the world's low-carbon electricity (operated in 33 countries); Chinese and Russian reactor exports as posing higher safety risks and enabling long-term geopolitical influence (with Russia building 21 reactors abroad and pursuing 73 projects in 29 countries, and China assembling over one-third of reactors under construction globally); interest in nuclear power by 28 countries (with 10-12 planning nuclear power plants by 2030-2035, potentially increasing operating countries by nearly 30%) and small modular reactors in countries including Estonia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan; and a U.S. pledge with over 20 countries to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 while supporting nuclear financing through the World Bank and regional development banks.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive director at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and, as appropriate, other multilateral development banks to use U.S. voice, vote, and influence to advocate for (1) removing prohibitions on financial and technical assistance for nuclear energy generation and distribution, to the extent those prohibitions apply to nuclear technologies meeting or exceeding U.S. or allied-country quality standards; and (2) increasing the banks' internal capacity to assess nuclear energy's potential role in client countries' energy systems and the delivery of such assistance. The section sunsets 10 years after enactment of the International Nuclear Energy Financing Act of 2025.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. governors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (i.e., World Bank), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other appropriate international financial institutions (IFIs, as defined in section 1701(c)(2) of the International Financial Institutions Act) to establish a Nuclear Energy Assistance Trust Fund at each such institution. The trust funds are to provide financial and technical assistance for nuclear energy generation and distribution in borrowing countries on competitive terms (including to counter non-OECD export credits), support nuclear technologies meeting or exceeding U.S. or allied standards, and build IFI capacity to assess, implement, and evaluate such projects; revenues may fund these activities or have the U.S. share remitted to the Treasury. The provision sunsets 10 years after enactment and does not limit other IFI resources for nuclear energy.

This section requires the Chairman of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies to include in the annual report on U.S. participation in international financial institutions required by 22 U.S.C. 262r, for the seven-year period beginning on the date of enactment, a description of any progress made (1) to promote assistance by multilateral development banks for nuclear energy and (2) to establish a trust fund under section 1507 of the International Financial Institutions Act (as added by section 4) or, if established, a summary of that trust fund's activities.