Key facts
- The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's overhaul of rules will continue into 2027.
- The NRC aims to cut approval times for new reactors to 18 months.
- The changes are intended to help meet power demand from electric vehicles, data centers, and crypto mining.
- The NRC is proposing to narrow environmental reviews and change radiation protection rules.
- A regulatory framework for microreactors is planned.
- NRC Chairman Ho Nieh rejected claims that executive orders compromised the agency's independence.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) comprehensive overhaul of its rules, designed to expedite the approval process for new nuclear reactors, is expected to extend well into 2027, according to NRC Chairman Ho Nieh. The initiative is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to significantly increase the nation's nuclear power capacity by 2050, aiming to meet rising energy demands driven by factors such as electric vehicles, data centers, and cryptocurrency mining.
Nieh told Reuters that while the NRC is challenging itself to meet a target of approving new facilities within 18 months, safety remains paramount, and timelines will be extended if necessary. Proposed changes include narrowing the scope of environmental reviews and modifying radiation protection rules. The commission is also developing a regulatory framework for microreactors, which are small, factory-built nuclear plants.
Concerns raised by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a think tank, about executive orders potentially compromising the NRC's political independence were dismissed by Nieh. He asserted that the agency maintains its regulatory decision-making authority and operates within the general policies of the administration, a standard practice for executive branch agencies.