US nuclear regulator proposes changing radiation protection rule

The U.S. nuclear power regulator has proposed changes to a rule designed to protect people from radiation, a move intended to accelerate the development and reduce the costs associated with new atomic reactors. The proposed changes, pushed by the Trump administration, would eliminate the 'As Low as Reasonably Achievable' (ALARA) radiation protection standard, which is based on the principle that any radiation dose carries cancer risks. Instead, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing objective dose limits and a graded approach to radiation dose management.

NRC Chairman Ho Nieh stated that the rulemaking aims to increase clarity in regulations without lowering safety standards. The nuclear industry has long argued that ALARA is costly, time-consuming, and uncertain due to its reliance on the Linear No-Threshold model. The proposed changes would grant nuclear power plant operators more flexibility in evaluating radiation doses to workers and the public using modern methods.

However, nuclear safety advocates, such as Edwin Lyman from the Union of Concerned Scientists, contend that eliminating ALARA would permit higher levels of cancer-causing radiation exposure, solely to benefit the nuclear industry financially. Lyman expressed concern that this could increase disease burden, particularly as cancer rates are already rising among younger individuals.

This proposal follows other recent rule changes suggested by the NRC, including modifications to security standards that critics claim would weaken protections against terrorist attacks. The commission will accept public comments on the radiation rule for 45 days before it is finalized.