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Advanced Reactors

Reactor designers are developing a number of small light-water reactor (LWR) and non-LWR designs employing innovative solutions to technical nuclear power issues. These designs could be used for generating electricity in isolated areas or producing high-temperature process heat for industrial purposes. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) expects to receive applications for staff review and approval of some of these designs as early as Fiscal Year 2011.

The NRC has developed its current regulations on the basis of experience gained over the past 40 years from the design and operation of light-water reactor (LWR) facilities. Now, to facilitate the licensing of new reactor designs that differ from the current generation of large LWR facilities, the NRC staff seeks to resolve key safety and licensing issues and develop a regulatory infrastructure to support licensing review of these unique reactor designs.

Toward that end, NRC policy encourages early discussion (prior to submission of a license application) between agency staff and potential applicants (such as utilities and reactor designers). Such discussions enable the NRC staff to offer licensing guidance and identify and resolve potential licensing issues early in the licensing process. During this pre-application period for design certification, the NRC holds public meetings with potential applicants to discuss advanced reactor designs and identify (1) major safety issues that could require Commission policy guidance to the staff, (2) major technical issues that the staff could resolve under existing NRC regulations and policy, and (3) research needed to resolve identified issues. See the following pages for specific information regarding ongoing pre-application reviews:

In addition to its ongoing activities regarding these specific reactor designs, the NRC staff is working with representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on the next generation nuclear systems known as "Generation IV reactors."

The staff has identified several policy issues associated with licensing small LWR and non-LWR designs and has assembled a list of related Commission documents and policy statements. In addition, visit Advanced Reactor Research for a discussion of the nine key areas of anticipatory and confirmatory research, which the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research is conducting in support of licensing reviews for advanced reactors.

For additional detail, see the following related pages:

• Public Meetings

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Wednesday, November 04, 2009