GAO report reviews NRC’s readiness to approve advanced nuclear reactor applications
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report recently that assesses the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) preparedness to review and approve advanced nuclear reactor applications.
The GAO report, titled Nuclear Power: NRC Needs to Take Additional Actions to Prepare to License Advanced Reactors, made four recommendations to the NRC, including that NRC establish benchmarks and measures to assess the effectiveness of its recruitment, relocation, and retention strategies and incentives to help NRC retain and hire the staff to license advanced reactors.
The four recommendations closely align with steps taken in Congress to ensure the NRC is fully prepared to efficiently license advanced nuclear reactors.
The GAO assessment was done at the request of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“With this report, the GAO confirms that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs to do more to prepare to efficiently review and approve advanced nuclear reactor designs,” Capito said. “The United States should lead the world in developing and deploying reliable advanced nuclear energy, and Congress is poised to provide the NRC the tools and direction to enable the safe use of these technologies.”
Bipartisan legislation introduced by Capito aims to develop and deploy new nuclear technologies and also improve NRC efficiency. That bill, the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, was included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, and lawmakers are working to ensure the legislation is signed into law this year.
Rodgers said that restoring American nuclear energy leadership is essential for reducing emissions, providing clean energy, and building durable economic and strategic relationships around the world.
“This report’s recommendations align with the Energy and Commerce Committee’s bipartisan legislative efforts and reinforce the need for a modern, efficient, predictable regulatory environment to ensure a robust nuclear industry. I look forward to continuing this important bipartisan work to help usher in the next wave of American nuclear energy,” she said.
