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PETITION: Tell NRC Chairman Hanson — Advanced reactors require a modern regulatory agency.
Nuclear energy is critical to U.S. goals to decarbonize our energy sector and for national security. The next generation of advanced reactors is one of the best opportunities we have to realize this potential. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRC) must sensibly modernize its licensing process in order for these next generation advanced reactors to be deployed by the end of this decade.
Current NRC regulations, designed for large light water reactors developed over 50 years ago, regulate every nut, bolt, weld, pump, pipe and concrete structure in a nuclear power plant. Many of these rules are incompatible with new, advanced, smaller reactors that offer greater safety and are less environmentally disruptive.These current regulations could require advanced reactors to meet outdated and, in some cases, insignificant safety standards. As a result, it can take a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars simply to license a new, safer nuclear reactor.
As it stands, advanced nuclear developers still do not have a clear roadmap for how to license their reactors, even as Congress has directed the first-moving developers to commercialize advanced reactors by 2028. The NRC needs to enable licensing at scale, beyond the first-movers — licensing 10s of reactors, not just one at a time.
Congress passed the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) in 2019, directing the NRC to create a new licensing pathway for the innovation and commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors, known as Part 53. However, the Part 53 rule will not be available in time for use by the first wave of advanced reactor applicants.
Deploying advanced reactors are critical to our climate goals and to our national security. Nuclear energy has historically proven to be among the safest energy technologies ever invented—and advanced reactors have benefitted from this legacy. We urge you and the NRC to expedite this licensing process so developers have a clear pathway.
Add your name to urge Chairman Christopher T. Hanson and the NRC to expedite this licensing process so developers have a clear pathway.
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