New innovative U.S. technologies currently in design, development and licensing are setting a new standard for nuclear energy. However, this technology leadership is at risk.
To ensure continued American leadership in global nuclear markets, the U.S. government should act promptly to create a streamlined and predictable licensing pathway for advanced reactors, thereby supporting innovation, commercialization and deployment of new nuclear technologies.
To ensure that advanced reactors are licensed and built in the U.S., near-term regulatory reforms are necessary. These reforms should focus on achieving the following near-term objectives:
- Reversing the trend of increasing regulatory costs and excessively long reviews
- Aligning the regulatory framework for advanced reactors with their inherent enhanced safety
- Defining licensing options clearly, including options for staged applications and approval
- Providing additional flexibility for changes during construction.