Advanced Reactor Highlights - 2024

On March 25, 2024, the NRC staff issued Regulatory  Guide 1.253, “Guidance for a Technology-Inclusive Content-of-Application Methodology to Inform the Licensing Basis and Content of Applications for Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Non-Light-Water Reactors,” and nine Advanced Reactor Content of Application Project (ARCAP) interim staff guidance documents.

On March 14, the NRC staff continued its public workshops on the Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Licensing Framework for Advanced Reactors in a hybrid meeting with representatives from industry, the national laboratories, and others.  The workshop is part of the agency’s efforts to streamline reviews of future license applications and to ensure common understanding between the NRC staff and prospective applicants. This workshop continued discussions related to specific industry questions regarding the Licensing Modernization Project (LMP) implementation for the design of I&C systems. As an outcome from this meeting, a future tabletop session was proposed to examine realistic I&C system scenarios implementing the LMP methodology. The NRC will continue to offer additional workshops on the advanced reactor I&C framework, as requested. More information on digital I&C and public workshop summaries.

On March 12, 2024, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the United Kingdom Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR), and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to increase collaboration on the technical reviews of advanced reactor and small modular reactor technologies. Under the terms of this MOC, CNSC, ONR, and U.S. NRC may take each other’s experiences, regulatory information and results into account when conducting technology assessments for the purposes of feedback to vendors or making recommendations for regulatory decisions. More information on the MOC.

On February 29, 2024, the NRC staff published RG 4.7, Revision 4, “General Site Suitability Criteria for Nuclear Power Stations” (89 FR 14743) which describes the major site characteristics related to public health and safety and environmental issues that the NRC staff considers in determining the suitability of sites for commercial nuclear power stations.
 

On February 27, 2024, the NRC staff submitted SECY-24-0020, “Advanced Reactor Program Status,” to update the Commission on progress made during calendar year 2023 on the staff's advanced reactor licensing and readiness activities, such as addressing key technology-inclusive rulemaking and policy issues, interactions with current and prospective applicants and other stakeholders, and continued development of the expertise and regulatory processes necessary to allow innovation and the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors.

On February 14 and 15, the staff held government-to-government meetings and a public outreach meeting to discuss NRC review processes in preparation for the planned X-energy/Dow Chemical construction permit application for deployment of X-energy’s Xe-100 design at the Dow Seadrift operations site in Calhoun County, TX. There were approximately 70 people in attendance at the public outreach meeting. Interested in learning more visit:ML24086A299.

On January 24, 2024, the staff delivered SECY-24-0008 "Micro-Reactor Licensing and Deployment Considerations: Fuel Loading and Operational Testing at a Factory" to provide the Commission with options for regulating certain aspects of fuel loading and operational testing of commercial factory-fabricated micro-reactors. This paper also seeks Commission direction on whether a factory-fabricated micro-reactor that includes "features to preclude criticality" would require a facility operating license or a combined license when loaded with fuel.