US Nuclear Regulatory Commission updates reactor data rules

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has finalized a rule allowing companies to utilize data and analyses from demonstration projects conducted by the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense to support new reactor applications. This change is intended to assist the expected influx of applications for high-tech designs, such as small modular reactors.

NRC Chairman Ho Nieh stated that the rule is not a shortcut or a compromise on safety standards, noting that reviews could remain stringent regarding consequence analysis for potential radiological or economic impacts. However, some critics, including physicist Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, have expressed concern that the NRC must maintain its independent authority rather than relying on the decisions of other agencies.

In a related development, the US Department of Energy has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for Antares’ Mark-1 microreactor system. This milestone allows for construction and testing at the Idaho National Laboratory. Antares plans to conduct a six-month full-power testing campaign in 2027, with the goal of installing operational microreactors at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, starting in 2028 under the US Army’s Janus program.