S 3639

This bill requires three New Jersey state agencies—the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)—to create expedited approval and permitting procedures specifically for artificial intelligence data centers that are powered by on-site small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), which are defined as advanced nuclear reactors generating between 50-300 megawatts. Within 12 months of the bill's effective date, these agencies must adopt regulations that streamline various approval processes, including site approvals, construction plan reviews, utility interconnections, and environmental permits across multiple regulatory frameworks. The bill's stated purpose is to encourage and accelerate the development of new AI data centers powered by SMRs in New Jersey, as well as to facilitate the addition of SMR technology to existing AI data centers, by reducing regulatory barriers and timeframes that typically slow such projects.