DOE And NRC Sign Addendum To Fast Track Commercial Reactor Licensing

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have signed Addendum No. 9 to their 2019 Memorandum of Understanding. This new agreement aims to expedite the licensing process for advanced nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel technologies. Industry developers expressed concerns about duplicated efforts when seeking NRC approval for their tested products. Increased demand for clean, reliable energy from corporations like Microsoft and Google highlights the need for faster commercialization. The addendum is a direct result of directives from a presidential executive order focused on reforming the NRC. This order mandates an expedited pathway for reactor designs tested and validated by the DOE. The NRC's review will now concentrate on new risks introduced by specific applications rather than re-evaluating already assessed risks. Surprisingly, the agreement also streamlines licensing for nuclear fuel facilities, supporting the goal of reducing foreign reliance on nuclear fuel. Several companies, including Oklo and Terrestrial Energy, are participating in both reactor and fuel programs under this new framework. The updated MOU prevents the NRC from re-examining design features already approved by the DOE, saving companies significant time and resources. This change ensures that work done under DOE authorization is not invalidated by separate NRC requirements. Further coordination agreements between the DOE and NRC are anticipated, especially concerning military microreactor programs.