NRC Reviews of Reactor Designs Previously Authorized by U.S. Department of Energy or Department of War

Key claim: The NRC is changing its rules so companies seeking a commercial nuclear license can use a prior Department of Energy or Department of War authorization of a demonstration reactor as evidence that the design is safe, speeding NRC review of those applications.

Abstract

(Rule · Nuclear Regulatory Commission) The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to facilitate direct leveraging of prior U.S. Department of Energy or Department of War authorizations of demonstration reactors into the NRC’s licensing reviews of commercial reactor facility applications that reference those designs. This rulemaking improves NRC licensing review efficiency, where applicable, by explicitly establishing by regulation an additional means for reactor applicants to demonstrate the safety functions of their reactor designs, thereby contributing to the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy technologies.

Why this matters

Demonstration reactors previously authorized by DOE or the Department of War have gone through non-NRC safety reviews that duplicate much of what commercial licensing requires. By letting applicants rely on those prior authorizations, the NRC compresses review time and cost for advanced reactor designs transitioning from demonstration to commercial operation, affecting the pace at which new nuclear capacity reaches the grid.

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