ROCKVILLE, MD – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is at a crossroads and needs both safety and speed to prepare for incoming nuclear innovation, Commissioner Matthew Marzano said here Wednesday.
Marzano opened up the second day of the NRC Regulatory Information Conference. As the recent push for nuclear power seems like an unprecedented moment for the industry, Marzano said the current moment has parallels to the agency’s predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
The AEC was also the predecessor to the Department of Energy.
During the existence of AEC, the nuclear agency authorized numerous reactors under the “Atoms for Peace” initiative after World War II. The United States sought energy security, technological leadership and strategic advantage, things it also seeks now, Marzano said.
With emerging nuclear technologies and geopolitical urgency on the horizon, Marzano wants NRC to act on producing sound and efficient processes that enable safe nuclear projects..
“Many of the same pressures and expectations that tested the Atomic Energy Commission endure in this moment,” Marzano said during his opening statement. “It is our [NRC] responsibility to internalize the lessons of that era to be successful as we strive to enable deployment of new nuclear technologies.”
The early atomic era showed that the nuclear regulator could adapt as technology advances in compressed time frames, Marzano said. However, he said that the era also is a reminder that “technical realism must anchor regulatory decision-making.”
Marzano said he viewed rulemakings, such as the ADVANCE Act and President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14300, as encouragement and a vehicle to move on changes that have long been contemplated but not fully realized. He said the order was not focused on deregulating but about building smart regulations.
Safety is still at the highest priority of the NRC, Marzano said, but speed and rigor are not exclusive, he added. The agency needs to be able to achieve both to meet the demand in this moment of time, he added.
“If we continue to focus on getting things right, not only can we modernize and remain unwavering in our safety mission but we can also meet the demands that lie ahead, “ Marzano said. “Not by choosing between innovation and protection but by proving once again that rigorous regulations is what makes innovation durable,” Marzano said.