Nuclear Regulatory Commission proposes eliminating ALARA radiation standard

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is moving to eliminate the 50-year-old “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) radiation protection standard. The proposal, defended by NRC Chairman Ho Nieh, aims to reduce regulatory uncertainty for nuclear operators by removing the requirement to minimize radiation exposure below legal limits whenever it is deemed reasonably practical.

The shift is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to overhaul nuclear oversight and accelerate the development of nuclear energy to meet rising electricity demands, particularly for artificial intelligence data centers and industrial expansion. While the NRC intends to retain the Linear No Threshold model for estimating radiation risks, the removal of ALARA would eliminate the specific mandate for companies to pursue increasingly stringent protection measures.

Critics, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, warn that abandoning the principle could remove incentives for companies to maintain high safety practices for workers and the public. Conversely, some experts suggest the standard created ambiguity because the definition of “reasonable” was subjective. The public comment period for the proposed rule ends August 31, with implementation potentially occurring early next year.