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The NRC is shutdown due to the lapse in appropriations. Exempted activities to maintain critical health and safety activities and progress on critical activities, including activities outlined in Executive Order 14300, as described in the OMB Approved NRC Lapse Plan will continue.

Design Certification Applications for New Reactors

By issuing a design certification, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approves a nuclear power plant design, independent of an application to construct or operate a plant. A design certification is valid for 40 years from the date of issuance, but can be renewed for an additional 40 years.

Design certification is achieved through the NRC's rulemaking process, and is founded on the staff's review of the application, which addresses the various safety issues associated with the proposed nuclear power plant design, independent of a specific site. During this process, the NRC notifies all stakeholders (including the public) as to how and when they may participate in the regulatory process, which may include participating in public meetings and rulemaking activities related to design certifications. See our Backgrounder on New Nuclear Plant Designs for an overview of new nuclear plant designs and the status of their respective reviews.

The links below provide information on the design certifications that the NRC has issued to date, as well as the applications that have been received. The activities associated with reviewing these applications are reflected in the individual links for docketed design certification applications.

On this page:

Issued Design Certifications

The NRC staff has issued the following design certifications:

Design

Applicant

Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR)

General Electric (GE) Nuclear Energy

Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400)

Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.

ABWR Design Certification Rule (DCR) Amendment

South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company

System 80+

Westinghouse Electric Company

Advanced Passive 600 (AP600)

Westinghouse Electric Company

Advanced Passive 1000 (AP1000)

Westinghouse Electric Company

Economic Simplified Boiling-Water Reactor (ESBWR)

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy

NuScale Small Modular Reactor (US600)

NuScale Power, LLC

Design Certification Applications Received

The NRC has received the following design certification applications:

Design

Applicant

Status

U.S. EPR

AREVA NP, Inc.

Suspended

U.S. Advanced Pressurized-Water Reactor (US-APWR)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Suspended

ABWR Design Certification Renewal

Toshiba Corporation Power Systems Company

Withdrawn

ABWR Design Certification Renewal

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy

Renewed

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, September 15, 2025

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, September 15, 2025