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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is in the process of rescinding or revising guidance and policies posted on this webpage in accordance with Executive Order 14151 Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, and Executive Order 14168 Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. In the interim, any previously issued diversity, equity, inclusion, or gender-related guidance on this webpage should be considered rescinded that is inconsistent with these Executive Orders.

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Research and Development; Policy Issues

image with a laptop displaying a dashboard, to the left of the laptop is a lightbulb, beaker, and an atom and to the right is a microscope and magnifying glass.

The NRC staff asks prospective applicants to identify

  • Long-lead research and development activities
  • Policy issues that may require Commission attention

Research and Development

Before contacting the NRC, prospective applicants should have sufficient design knowledge (or plans to develop that information) to understand the time needed to qualify safety features and important plant components. Applicants should be prepared to discuss the needed component qualifications with the NRC staff.

Reactor designs with new and novel features often have little, if any, operational experience in the commercial world. To ensure the health and safety of the public and the environment, NRC regulations (specifically, 10 CFR 50.43(e)) require applicants to demonstrate through either analysis, appropriate test programs, experience, or a combination thereof that new and novel design features will perform as designed in an operational facility. This demonstration is often called “qualification”.

Applicants should account for qualifying these new and novel design features over many years, due to the complexity of developing a testing program and/or modeling applications. For example, qualifying new nuclear fuel may take up to a decade, since test fuel may spend up to several years in a test reactor. Applicants should consider starting qualification activities well before engaging with the NRC. Any delay in the qualification activities may significantly extended the original proposed application submittal and facility operational dates.  

Policy Issues

The wide range of designs and design features being contemplated by advanced reactor designers may present unique regulatory issues. The NRC staff desires to consider these issues as early as possible so that they can be properly addressed before the application is submitted. Early identification by the applicant and engagement with the NRC staff will allow time to pursue a Commission decision for policy matters warranting Commission attention. If significant policy issues appear during the application review, the review schedule may be affected.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, March 3, 2025