New changes are coming to nuclear fuel cycle and materials licensing, including an exclusive streamlined licensing pathway for nuclear fuel reprocessing, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said on June 18.
NRC said in a press release that the proposed rule where the changes will occur is intended to reduce regulatory barriers and expedite development of fuel infrastructure for advanced nuclear technologies. NRC released a 116-page pre-publication Federal Register notice discussing the changes and explanations behind them.
The changes seek to modernize regulations regarding fuel fabrication facilities, spent fuel storage, use and security of nuclear materials. It will also look to reduce fuel facility construction timelines.
In particular, NRC proposed to create an explicit spent fuel reprocessing facility licensing pathway under Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 70, or 10 CFR Part 70. The agency has discussed creating a definitive licensing pathway for reprocessing for the past several months.
NRC is able to license reprocessing facilities under the Part 50 or Part 70 framework. However, the proposed rule clarifies that reprocessing facilities, “including those that meet the definition of production facility, may be licensed under 10 CFR part 70, and this proposal would provide an alternative licensing process to the two-step process (Construction Permit and Operating License) in 10 CFR part 50,” according to the notice.
A public meeting will be held on the proposed rule soon, NRC said. It is also seeking public comment on several related areas such as pilot fuel oversight, operator qualification and waste management.
The proposed rule was sparked by Executive Order 14300. The executive action, which was issued in May 2025, called for an overhaul of the NRC, including a wholesale revision of its rules and regulations.
“America is rebuilding the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle at a pace not seen in decades,” NRC Chairman Ho Nieh said. “These proposed rules support American leadership in nuclear energy through safety-focused and efficient licensing.”