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NRC Withdraws Environmental Justice Policy Statement

The NRC recently withdrew its Policy Statement on the Treatment of Environmental Justice (EJ) Matters in NRC Regulatory and Licensing Actions (EJ Policy Statement). The NRC did so in response to Executive Order (EO) 14173,...more

The State of Nuclear 2025: New Leadership, New Challenges, New Opportunities

2024 was marked by significant developments in the nuclear energy sector, shaped by evolving regulatory frameworks, legislative action, and growing global interest in nuclear power. In the United States the Accelerating...more

NRC Office of Investigations FY 2024 Annual Report Shows Whistleblower Allegations on the Rise

The NRC’s Office of Investigations (OI) recently published its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024, summarizing its activities from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. According to the annual report, OI opened 82 new...more

United States and Thailand Sign 123 Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation

The United States and Thailand signed an agreement on January 14, 2025, which outlines peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries. The agreement is authorized by Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as...more

Planning a Reactor Power Uprate? Time to Get in Line at the NRC

The NRC recently issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2025-02, which asks reactor licensees to voluntarily provide information about their plans for power-uprate licensing submittals. The NRC will use this information to set...more

Federal Circuit Broadly Interprets Indemnity Provisions in the Price Anderson Act

A recent decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated claims seeking indemnification under the Price-Anderson Act. In reversing a decision by the US Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Circuit...more

Chevron Overturned: Ruling May Impact Challenges to NRC Actions to a Lesser Extent Than Other Agencies

The US Supreme Court’s recent Loper Bright decision overturned its 1984 Chevron decision, which, over the last 40 years, had become a fundamental doctrine in administrative law. That doctrine, known as the “Chevron...more

Congress Passes Legislation to Ban Imports of Russian Uranium

Congress recently passed legislation to ban imports of Russian uranium products into the United States. The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act (HR 1042) (the Act) was approved by the House of Representatives on December...more

5/14/2024  /  Imports , Nuclear Power , Russia , Uranium

NRC Releases 2023 Reactor Oversight Process Self-Assessment Results

The NRC’s Acting Executive Director for Operations recently issued the results from the NRC staff’s annual Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) self-assessment for calendar year 2023. Out of the 17 metrics it evaluated, the NRC...more

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Endorses Alternative Option for Licensing Microreactors

The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) recently endorsed the NRC Staff’s proposed alternative option for licensing microreactors in a letter submitted to NRC Chairman Christopher Hanson. In brief, the licensing...more

Will a Government Shutdown Impact the NRC?

As fiscal year 2024 approaches, a partial government shutdown looms on the horizon once more. This would be the first partial government shutdown since the 36-day shutdown that began in late December 2018 and ended on January...more

NRC Escalated Enforcement Increased in 2022

The NRC’s Office of Enforcement (OE) recently published its Enforcement Program Annual Report for Calendar Year 2022. In 2022, the NRC issued 73 escalated enforcement actions to licensees, non-licensees, and individuals. This...more

Regulating the Power of the Sun: Fusion Energy Breakeven Is a Breakthrough

Fusion energy is hot. And not just literally. The scientific community is abuzz about a recent announcement that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists achieved the first energy breakeven from a fusion reaction....more

NRC Office of Investigations FY 2022 Annual Report Shows Jump for Reactors, Decrease for Material Licensees

The NRC’s Office of Investigations (OI) recently published its Annual Report Fiscal Year 2022 summarizing its activities from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. According to the annual report, OI opened 70 new cases...more

Commission Approves Draft Rule to Update Environmental Regulations and GEIS for Subsequent License Renewal

The NRC commissioners unanimously approved on January 23, 2023 the publication of a proposed rule to update the NRC’s environmental regulations in Part 51 and issue a draft update to the NRC’s Generic Environmental Impact...more

Inflation Drives Another Large Increase in NRC’s Maximum Civil Monetary Penalties

The NRC recently issued a final rule in the Federal Register, along with a corresponding update to its Enforcement Policy, that updated the maximum amounts of civil monetary penalties it can impose for violations. Because...more

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Boosts Nuclear Power with Tax Credits and Funding

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 reflects a significant step toward meeting the United States’ greenhouse gas emission reduction targets from the Paris Convention and recognizes the indispensable role that nuclear power...more

NRC Annual Trends Report Shows Increase in Allegations

The NRC recently issued its Allegation Program Annual Trends Report, analyzing regional, national, and site-specific allegation trends for calendar year 2021. The report’s top-line numbers show that allegations increased...more

NRC Issues Self-Assessment of the Reactor Oversight Process

The NRC staff recently provided the Commission with their annual Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Self-Assessment for Calendar Year 2021 (SECY-22-0029). These annual self-assessments have been part of the ROP since the ROP was...more

DOE Begins Accepting Applications for Civil Nuclear Credits

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced on April 19 that it is now accepting sealed bids from reactor owners and operators to receive initial credits under the Civil Nuclear Credit Program (CNCP). Concurrent with this...more

Senators Introduce Legislation to Ban Imports of Russian Uranium; Russia Reportedly Considers Mirror Ban

A group of four US senators introduced a bill on March 16 to ban imports of uranium products from the Russian Federation. If enacted, such a ban could complicate the refueling of existing commercial reactors in the United...more

NRC Enforcement Manual Revisions Address Licensee Challenges to Enforcement Actions

The NRC recently revised its Enforcement Manual (Manual) to consolidate and expand its guidance on the process for resolving licensee challenges to certain enforcement actions. The biggest change to the Manual is the creation...more

NRC Office of Investigations Issues FY 2021 Annual Report

The NRC’s Office of Investigations (OI) recently published its Office of Investigations Annual Report FY 2021 summarizing its activities during the past fiscal year. Overall, OI saw a drop in caseload, likely due—at least in...more

2021 Year in Review: Climate Change

The global impact of our planet’s changing climate garnered significant attention in 2021. The United States rejoined the Paris Agreement at the beginning of the year, and in November, during the United Nations Climate Change...more

NRC Staff Issues Findings From 2021 Decommissioning Status Reports

The NRC staff recently issued findings from their review of the 2021 decommissioning funding status (DFS) reports submitted by power reactor licensees and licensees of power reactors in decommissioning. These reports are...more

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