The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a proposed rule to create an additional licensing path for the Department of Energy and Pentagon demonstration reactors seeking commercial use.
NRC said in a Monday press release that within its new rule it will look to leverage design information from the DOE and Department of Defense reactor demonstrations in its reviews of commercial nuclear licensing applications. NRC is seeking public comment on the rule by May 4.
NRC posted the proposed rule April 2 in the Federal Register. The proposal would revise 10 CFR Parts 50 and 53 and create a third pathway for reactors that were previously authorized by DOE/DoD. NRC said this would offer an expedited path for these reactors, building off prior work rather than repeating it.
The Pentagon has shown increased interest in exploring the use of small modular reactors or microreactors at military bases.
“This rulemaking would improve 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, and thus, would contribute to the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy technologies,” NRC said in the Federal Register.
The proposed rule comes as a part of NRC’s series of rulemakings demanded by Executive Order 14300. The action called for an overhaul at NRC, including a wholesale revision of its regulations.