The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (Nela), which was passed by the US Senate earlier this month, will put the US back into first place on nuclear energy by establishing public-private partnerships between research institutions and industry innovators, the senators who proposed the legislation have said.

Senators Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, and Cory Booker, a Democrat, said the legislation will facilitate the path to market for advanced reactors by allowing the federal government to be an early adopter of commercialised technologies.

Ms Murkowski said the advanced reactors supported by Nela have significant potential to provide energy to installations such as military bases, remote communities in states like her own, Alaska, and to larger towns and cities.