US Unveils New Reactor Licensing to Streamline Nuclear Buildout

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is introducing a new format for licensing reactors, aiming to speed up approvals for next-generation reactor technology.

The so-called Part 53 process is the agency’s first new framework for approving reactors since 1989 and is part of a broader US push to expand nuclear power, according to a statement Wednesday.

The US is seeking to quadruple its nuclear capacity by 2050, and easing the NRC review process for new plants is expected to help developers reach that goal. Winning NRC approval has been viewed as a major regulatory bottleneck that has often taken years to complete. ...