‘Major modernisation’ will replace outdated requirements, says NRC
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has proposed a broad overhaul of its regulations governing nuclear reactor licensing and oversight, eliminating outdated requirements, increasing regulatory flexibility and using more risk-informed approaches to support safe and efficient nuclear deployment.
The proposed rule is part of the NRC’s implementation of a May 2025 executive order which directs the agency to modernise its regulatory framework.
The changes would apply to both existing nuclear power plants and new reactor applicants and are intended to make NRC regulations more efficient, predictable and adaptable to evolving nuclear technologies while maintaining the agency’s safety mission, the NRC said.
“This major modernisation of the NRC’s reactor regulations replaces outdated requirements with smarter, risk-informed approaches that reflect today’s technologies, knowledge and operating experience,” NRC chairman Ho K. Nieh said.
“The result is a regulatory framework that maintains strong safety margins while eliminating unnecessary constraints and providing the flexibility needed for America’s long-term energy security.”
The proposed rule would apply a more risk-informed, graded approach to earthquake design requirements. The NRC has said its risk-based approach combines numerical risk insights with traditional engineering judgment and performance history to focus safety oversight on “the issues that matter most”.
The proposed rule would also move the expiration date for standard design approvals, add flexibility for licensing reactor control-room staff, update how the NRC establishes new or revised requirements for existing facilities, and clarify and update defect and noncompliance reporting requirements.
It would include updated requirements for reporting non-emergency events at nuclear power plants; reduce routine reporting and record-keeping burdens, refine how new reactor applicants address issues affecting operating reactors generally, and clarify requirements for plant decommissioning, including use of decommissioning trust funds.
The NRC said comments on the proposals can be submitted for 30 days after the rule’s publication in the Federal Register at regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2025-1138.
