ADVANCE Act (Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024)

The ADVANCE Act of 2024 was passed with bipartisan support and signed by President Biden in July 2024. It requires the NRC to take a number of actions, particularly in the areas of licensing of new reactors and fuels, while maintaining the NRC’s core mission to protect public health and safety. The Act affects a wide range of NRC activities, including by supporting the recruitment and retention of the NRC workforce, adding flexibility in the NRC’s budgeting process, enhancing the regulatory framework for advanced reactors and fusion technology, and requiring initiatives to support the NRC’s efficient, timely, and predictable reviews of license applications.

The NRC will address the Act’s requirements by:

• implementing initiatives to achieve efficient, timely, and predictable license application reviews
• establishing an expedited procedure for reviewing qualifying new reactor license applications
• developing a regulatory framework for fusion technology
• implementing changes to how the agency recovers fees from licensees, including establishing a lower hourly rate for advanced reactor applicants and pre-applicants
• assessing the licensing review process for new nuclear facilities at former fossil-fuel power plant sites and brownfield sites
• developing strategies and guidance for microreactors
• removing certain limitations on foreign ownership of some types of licensed facilities
• continuing to support international coordination on nuclear technologies and licensing activities
• implementing new requirements relating to nuclear fuel

As required by the Act, the NRC will augment its mission statement to specify that licensing and regulation of the civilian use of radioactive materials and nuclear energy will be conducted in a manner that is efficient and does not unnecessarily limit the civilian use of radioactive materials and deployment of nuclear energy or the benefits of civilian use of radioactive materials and nuclear energy technology to society. The NRC is and will remain the world’s gold standard nuclear regulator. Nuclear safety and security will always come first!

The NRC is working to meet the Act’s various deadlines for providing reports to Congress and completing appropriate revisions to agency regulations or guidance. The Office of the Executive Director for Operations (OEDO) is coordinating the implementation of the provisions in the ADVANCE Act and the development and submission of reports to Congress.

The NRC will engage its external stakeholders at various stages during implementation of the ADVANCE Act. This webpage will be updated regularly to reflect progress and activities related to the Act.

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, please use our Contact Us form.