A closer look at the NRC’s reactor licensing revamp

[Marlin]

A closer look at the NRC's reactor licensing revamp

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-07-10/article-8195/a-closer-look-at-the-nrcs-reactor-licensing-revamp/

[Core Content]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has released a 550-page proposed rule aimed at modernizing reactor licensing, safety oversight, and siting practices. The agency intends to replace prescriptive, light water reactor-centric requirements with flexible, risk-informed criteria. This proposal will be open for public comment for 45 days following its Federal Register publication.

These changes seek to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactor technologies, including microreactors and small modular reactors, by reducing the need for individual exemptions. By extending license durations and streamlining construction and quality assurance processes, the NRC aims to provide greater regulatory stability for developers. These updates reflect a broader shift toward performance-based oversight for both new builds and existing plant operations.

Make no mistake about it: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's proposed rulemaking on reactor licensing, safety oversight, and siting practices is expansive. When it was unveiled on July 1, NRC officials called it the "most comprehensive modernization of reactor licensing in decades," one that could save the NRC and the industry as much as $1.86...

"NRC's regulations have not kept pace with new technologies and our energy needs," NRC Chairman Ho Nieh said in an announcement. "This proposed rule strips out rigid frameworks and unnecessary conservatism to accelerate the safe deployment of new reactors and expand existing capacity across America."

The proposed rule, "Modernizing Reactor Licensing, Safety Oversight, and Siting Practices," spans just over 550 pages. At first glance one may understandably not know where to start. Fortunately, Nuclear News took a deeper dive into the massive rulemaking, focusing on 17 key provisions that the NRC identified in the rule.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-07-10/article-8195/a-closer-look-at-the-nrcs-reactor-licensing-revamp/