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An illustration diagram of a typical boiling-water reactor, showing a cutaway with descriptions of various parts, with a text explanation of How Nuclear Reactors Work, and the title: A Typical Boiling-Water Reactor A Typical Boiling-Water Reactor
Illustration of NRC FY 2022 Distribution of Enacted Budget Authority; Recovery of NRC Budget using Doughnut graphs with breakdowns of each: Total Budget; Total FTE, and Recovery of Budget FY2022 - by colored band or section of each circular image NRC FY 2022 Distribution of Enacted Budget Authority; Recovery of NRC Enacted Budget
Illustration of NRC Total Authority, FYs 2012-2022 bar graph, with breakdowns by year 2012-2022 for: Total Authority Dollars in Millions; Carryover Authority Dollars in Millions, and Full Time Equivalent (FTE), and the title: NRC Total Authority, FYs 2012-2022 NRC Total Authority, FYs 2012-2022
Illustration diagram of NRC Research Funding, FY 2023, consisting of the grey silhouette of a microscope, with a pie chart superimposed over it. To the right of the image is the heading: Total $81.4 Million (M), with a color key to the pie chart below: small blue square represents: Reactors Program-$56 M; small grey square represents: Reactors Program-$20.1 M; small red square represents: Materials and Waste-$5.3 M. Below the image are the words: Note: Dollars are rounded to the nearest million. Source: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As of February 2023 Centered at the top appears the title: NRC Research Funding, FY 2022 NRC Research Funding, FY 2022
An illustration diagram of a Commercial Irradiator, showing a cutaway with descriptions of various parts, and a photo taken from above, of an existing storage pool and how it relates to the cutaway illustration, and the title: Commercial Irradiator Commercial Irradiator
An illustration of Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors-Years of Operation by the End of 2022, showing five colored (purple, green, orange, blue, light blue), reactor silhouettes, grouped by years of operation (1-19 years (1); 20-29 years (2); 30-39 years (44); 40-49 years (43), and > 50 years (4), with the silhouette images starting small (purple), and each one getting progressively bigger with the amount of years, and the title: U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors-Years of Operation by the End of 2022 U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors–Years of Operation by the End of 2022
Photos of five NRC Commissioners (*Commissioners listed by seniority) with their names and term expiration dates: Chairman Christopher T. Hanson (June 30, 2024), Jeff Baran (June 30, 2023), David A. Wright (June 30, 2025), Annie Caputo (June 30, 2026) and Bradley R. Crowell (June 30, 2027); with the title: Commissioner Term Expiration* Commissioner Term Expiration
An illustration of a Day in the Life of an NRC Resident Inspector, showing a drawing of a person with hard hat representing an NRC inspector getting into a car at the start of a winding road route (and the word Start), with various, numbered captions (explaining activities) and images encountered (guard; reactor building silhouette; inspector at reactor control panel; inspector descending stairs with clipboard; inspector meeting with plant officials, etc.) along the route (with the title: Day in the Life of an NRC Resident Inspector Day in the Life of an NRC Resident Inspector
Photo of actual Dry Cask Storage canisters with a cutaway illustration showing a Dry Cask Storage canister's various construction components with the title: Dry Cask Storage Dry Cask Storage
An illustration of a Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel facility layout, with a photo of an actual canister with a cutaway illustration of a canister's various construction components with three paragraphs of various Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel facts, with the title: Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel
An illustration diagram of Emergency Planning Zones layout showing a 50-mile food sampling area (fish & water; Crops & Soil; Milk & Livestock, etc.), with arrows point to various defined areas: 2-mile radius; 5 miles downwind; 10-mile plume- exposure pathway, etc., with the title: Emergency Planning Zones, and the words: Note: A 2-mile ring around the plant is identified for evacuation, along with a 5-mile zone downwind of the projected release path Emergency Planning Zones
An illustration diagram of a Fuel Assembly with a cutaway illustration showing the various components which make up the fuel assembly (Fuel Rod; Uranium Fuel Pellet), with the words: Spent fuel assemblies, are typically 14 feet long and contain nearly 200 fuel rods for PWRs and 80-100 fuel rods for BWRs, with the title: Fuel Assembly Fuel Assembly
An illustration diagram of a rotating cylinder, used in the Gas Centrifuge Process, with a text explanation of the Gas Centrifuge Process, with the title: Gas Centrifuge Process Gas Centrifuge Process
An illustration diagram of the Gaseous Diffusion enrichment process, consisting of a high pressure feed with areas of low pressure above and below and the outputs of enriched steam and depleted steam, with the title: Gaseous Diffusion Gaseous Diffusion
Illustration diagrams of a Moisture Density gauge, and a cross-section of a Fixed Fluid gauge, with the title: Gauging Devices Gauging Devices
An illustration diagram of the Heap Leach Recovery Process, with the title: Heap Leach Recovery Process Heap Leach Recovery Process
How We Regulate flowchart diagram, with the title: How We Regulate, and the descriptions: 1. Regulations & Guidance; 2. Licensing, Decommissioning & Certification; 3. Oversight; 4. Operational Experience; and 5. Support for Decisions How We Regulate
How We Regulate flowchart diagram, with the title: How We Regulate, and the descriptions: 1. Regulations & Guidance; 2. Licensing, Decommissioning & Certification; 3. Oversight; 4. Operational Experience; and 5. Support for Decisions, and a numbered list of text: 1. Developing regulatons and guidance for applicants end licensees, 2. Licensing or certifying applicants to use nuclear materials, operate nuclear facillties, and decommission facilities, 3. Inspecting and assessing licensee operations and facilities to ensure licensees comply with NRC requirements, responding to incidents, investigating allegations of wrongdoing, and taking appropriate followup or enforcement actions when necessary, 4. Evaluating operational experience of licensed facilities and activities, 5. Conducting research, holding hearings, and obtaining independent reviews to support regulatory decisions. How We Regulate (with text)
Pyramid Chart illustration diagram of The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, with the title: The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, and the text: INES events are classified on the scale at seven levels. Levels 1-3 are called incidents, and levels 4-7 are called accidents. The scale is designed so that the severity of an event is about 10 times greater for each increase in level on the scale. Events without safety significance are called deviations and are classified as Below Scale or at Level 0. The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale
An Illustration diagram of The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process with the title: The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process, color key indicators (blue circle: Injection Well; orange circle: Recovery Well; green circle: Underlying Monitoring Well; purple square: Overlying Monitoring Well; red triangle: Perimeter Monitoring Well) which correspond to the main image, and a text explanation (Injection wells pump a solution of native ground water, typically mixed with oxygen or hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate ore carbon dioxide into the aquifer (ground water) containing uranium ore. The solution dissolves the uranium from the deposit in the ground and is then pumped back to the surface through recovery wells, all controlled by the header house. fromm there, the solution is sent to the processing plant. Monitoring wells are checked regularly to ensure the injection solution is not escaping from the wellfield. Confining layers keep ground water from moving from one aquifer to the other.) The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process (with text)
An Illustration diagram of The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process with the title: The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process, and color key indicators (blue circle: Injection Well; orange circle: Recovery Well; green circle: Underlying Monitoring Well; purple square: Overlying Monitoring Well; red triangle: Perimeter Monitoring Well) which correspond to the main image The In Situ Uranium Recovery Process
An Illustration diagram flowchart of the License Renewal Process -- which starts with a License Renewal Application, and ends with an NRC decision on the application. License Renewal Process
An Illustration diagram of the NRC Approach to Source Security, consisting of a central representation of a pie chart displaying as a the central image Source Security and four puzzle pieces from top right and around: Physical Controls, Coordination and Support, International Mission, Licensing and Oversight; an outer ring around all this are security controls icon: from top right and around the image: Information Protection; Access Control/ Physical Barries; Montior, Detect and Access; Monitoring of Shipments; Response and Reporting; Annual Security and Control Program Review; Law Enforcement Coordination; Federal Agencies Treat Assessment; Code of Conduct; IAEA; FBI Identification and Criminal History Records; Counterfeit License Prevention; Central Respository of Licenses; National Registry of Sources; the title above the central image: NRC Approach to Source Security NRC Approach to Source Security
An Illustration diagram of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal, showing a layout with a cross-section of the subterranean components: Canisters; Impermeable Clay-Reinforced Concrete Vaults; Top Soil; Low-Level Waste; Impermeable Backfill; and Drainage System, with the title: Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal
An Illustration diagram flowchart of the 10 CFR Part 50 Two-Step Licensing Process -- which starts with a Construction Permit Review Two-Step Licensing Process
An Illustration diagram flowchart of the 10 CFR Part 52 -- Combined License Application Review Process Combined License Application Review Process
A black and white Illustration of the Periodic Table of Elements, including radioactive elements (which have no stable isotopes) which appear with a pink color background Periodic Table of Elements
An Illustration diagram for The Different NRC Classification for Types of Reactors - All; heading and summary: Operating Reactors, Advanced Reactors, Small Modular Reactors, Research and Test Reactors; The title: 'The Different NRC Classification for Types of Reactors' appears above the image. The Different NRC Classification for Types of Reactors - (All)
NRC Organization Chart, consisting of a hierarchical flowchart NRC Organization Chart
An Illustration diagram flowchart of The Nuclear Fuel Cycle -- which starts with Natural Uranium, and then Uranium Recovery (In Situ, Mining, Heap Leach); Milling; Conversion, Enrichment, then progresses to Fuel Fabrication, then use in Reactors, and/or put in Storage, then to Reprocessing Facility to either be reconverted, or disposed of. Above the image is the title: The Nuclear Fuel Cycle The Nuclear Fuel Cycle
On a square, black background are 3 column headings (in white text): Paper, Wood, and Lead; Below the columns are graphical representations of each material; between the Paper and Wood column appears an x-ray image of a human hand; to the left are 5 rows as follows: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, X-ray, and Neutron. Each has an arrow line which shows it's penetration of each of the materials: Alpha stops with the paper; Beta extends through the paper, but stops with the human hand x-ray; Gamma penetrates through paper, hand x-ray, wood and penetrates the lead material, but does not exit; Neutron penetrates all four materials. The title: Nuclear Radiation appears above the diagram. Nuclear Radiation
An illustration diagram of Nuclear Reaction which begins with a Neutron, then Nucleus which Fragments into 2, then a new Neutron, which forms 3 new Nucleus. Above the image appears the title: Nuclear Reaction Nuclear Reaction
Illustration showing 32 small circles. Within each circle is a country's flag, and below the circle/flag image is the nuclear share of electricity generated by that country in descending order: France 69%; Ukraine 55%; Slovakia 52.31%; Bulgium 50.8%; Hungary 46.8%; Slovenia 36.9%; Czech Rep. 36.6%; Bulgaria 34.6%; Finland 32.8%; Sweden 30.8%%; Switzerland 28.8%; Rep. Korea 28%; Armenia 25.3%; Spain 20.8%; USA 19.6%; Romania 18.5%; United Kingdom 14.8%; Canada 14.6%; Belarus 14.1%; Germany 11.9%; Pakistan 10.6%; Argentina 7.2%; Japan 7.2%; S. Africa 6%; China 5%; Mexico 5.3%; India 3.2%; Netherlands 3.1%; Brazil 2.4%; UAE 1.3%; Iran .1%. Centered above the image is the title: Nuclear Share of Electricity Generated by Country Nuclear Share of Electricity Generated by Country
An Illustration diagram of a nuclear reactor plant layout with NRC Post-Fukushima Safety Enhancements, consisting of Seismic Reevaluations; Flex Equipment; Mitigation Strategies Order; Mitigation of Beyond-Design-Basis Events Rulemaking; Hardened Vents Order; Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation; Emergency Preparedness Staffing; Emergency Procedures; Emergency Preparedness Communications; Flooding Reevaluations; Seismic Walkdowns, and Flooding Walkdowns. Appearing above the image is the title: NRC Post-Fukushima Safety Enhancements NRC Post-Fukushima Safety Enhancements
An illustration diagram of A Typical Pressurized Water Reactor, showing a cutaway with descriptions of various parts, with a text explanation of How Nuclear Reactors Work, and the title: A Typical Pressurized Water Reactor A Typical Pressurized Water Reactor
An illustration of Radiation Doses and Regulatory Limits displayed as a vertical bar graph, consisting of left side: Doses in Millirems listed decending from 0-5000, and across the bottom for each colored vertical bar: Annual Nuclear Worker Dose Limit (NRC) (between 1000-5000 magenta); Whole Body CT (1000 teal); Average U.S. Annual Dose (620 teal); Denver Average Annual Natural Background Dose (450 teal); U.S. Average Natural Background Dose (310 teal); Annual Public Dose Limit (NRC) (100 magenta); From Your Body (40 teal); Cosmic Rays (30 teal); Chest X-Ray (10 teal); Safe Drinking Water Limit (EPA)(4 teal); Transatlantic Flight (2.5 teal). A magenta color represents: Dose Limit from NRC-Licensed Activity; Teal color represents: Radiation Doses Radiation Doses and Regulatory Limits
Radiation Warning Symbol consisting of a square yellow background, with 3 magenta colored pie slices at 10:00, 2:00 and 6:00 positions around a center magenta circle. The title Radiation Warning Symbol appears above the image. Radiation Warning Symbol
An Illustration diagram of Reactor Decommissioning Overview Timeline, consisting of the following: Decommissioning Plans to the NRC; Transition from Operating Reactor to Shutdown; Shutdown; Fuel Removed. The title: Reactor Decommissioning Overview Timeline appears above the image. Reactor Decommissioning Overview Timeline
Illustration of Reactor Oversight Action Matrix Performance Indicators, consisting of a heading: Performance Indicators, and 4 colored blocks in a row: Green, white, yellow and red with an arrow underneath pointing from Green to Red (left to right) and the text 'Increasing Safety Significance'; Below that is the same thing as previously described, but for 'Inspection Findings'. The title: Reactor Oversight Action Matrix Performance Indicators appears above the image. Reactor Oversight Action Matrix Performance Indicators
Illustration diagram for Reactor Oversight Framework consisting of: Mission - Protect Public Health and Safety in the Use of Nuclear Power; Strategic Performance Areas - Reactor Safety, Radiation Safety, Safeguards; Cornerstones - Initiating Events, Mitigating Systems, Barrier Integrity, Emergency Preparedness, Public Radiation, Occupational Radiation, Security; Cross-Cutting Areas - Human Performance, Problem Identification and Resolution, Safety-Conscious Work Environment. The title: Reactor Oversight Framework appears above the image. Reactor Oversight Framework
An illustration of Boiling-Water Reactor Refueling, showing a cutaway with descriptions of various parts involved, with a text explanation of BWR Refueling, and the title: Boiling-Water Reactor Refueling Boiling-Water Reactor Refueling
An illustration of Pressurized-Water Reactor Refueling, showing a cutaway with descriptions of various parts involved (Reactor Building (Containment); Fuel Building), with a text explanation of PWR Refueling, and the title: Pressurized-Water Reactor Refueling Pressurized-Water Reactor Refueling
Illustration diagram of Ensuring Safe Spent Fuel Shipping Containers, consisting of a graphical representation of 4 Spent Fuel Shipping Containers in accident scenarios: (free drop and puncture), fire, and water immersion tests, and the words: The impact (free drop and puncture), fire, and water immersion tests are considered in sequence to determine their cumulative effects on a given package. The title: Ensuring Safe Spent Fuel Shipping Containers appears above the images. Ensuring Safe Spent Fuel Shipping Containers
Illustration of Security Components, consisting of: a round barbed-wire topped fence enclosure with a closed gate that has a red Stop sign on it. Outside the front of the fenced enclosure is a card reader mounted on a pole with two cement filled yellow posts on either side; to the right of the card reader stand three armed guards, and the words: Security Officers. In the center of the fenced enclosure is a silhouette of a reactor building in the center, with an armed guard and the words: Roving Patrols; at the left rear of the fenced enclosure is a guard tower with the words: Guard Towers; at the right middle of the fenced enclosure is a surveilance camera mounted on a pole with the words: Intrusion Detection System/Fenceline; Outside the rear fenced enclosure is a body of water, and the words: Water Barriers. Outside the fenced area on the right side are the words: Protecting nuclear facilities requires all of the security features to come together and work as one. The title: 'Security Components' appears above the image. Security Components
Illustration of a Simplified Fuel Fabrication Process, consisting of: A centrally located row of buildings connected together. Two of the large center buildings have exhaust stacks; At the beginning of the row of buildings is a tractor-trailer with an arrow pointing to the building and the words: Incoming UF6 Cylinders; the first building is UF6 Vaporization with an arrow pointing rightward to the next section of the row of buildings; The next building (with exhaust stack) is: U02 Powder Production with an arrow pointing rightward to the next section of the row of buildings; A small section of the row of buildings connects the previous building with the next building (with exhaust stack) with an arrow pointing rightward to the next section of the row of buildings: Powder Processing/Pellet Manufacturing (this building has two large arrows above the roof pointing upward, with the leftmost arrow having dots which extend over to the previous building (U02 Powder Production) with a large arrow pointing downward to this building; The last section of the row of buildings is the Fuel Rod/Bundle/Assembly/Quality Check building; outside this building is a large arrow pointing righward to a tractor-trailer, and the words: Transport to Nuclear Reactors. The title: 'Simplified Fuel Fabrication Process' appears above the image. Simplified Fuel Fabrication Process
Illustration of Size Comparison of Commercial and Research Reactors, consisting of: a left and right image with a break in the middle; The left image is a white silhouette of a reactor building with the words: 'Smallest Commercial Power Reactor' and 1,677 Megawatts thermal. The rightmost image is a tiny white silhouette of a reactor building with the words: 'Largest Research & Test Reactor' and 20 Megawatts thermal, with the words: 80X smaller, with an arrow pointing to the tiny white silhouette image; Above the image is the title: Size Comparison of Commercial and Research Reactors Size Comparison of Commercial and Research Reactors
Illustration diagram of Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use, consisting of four images with supporting text: 1 - A nuclear reactor is powered by enriched uranium-235 fuel... (with illustration of a nuclear reactor and a fuel rod assembly; 2 - After 5-6 years, spent fuel assemblies (which are typically 14 feet [4.3 meters] long and which contain nearly 200 fuel rods for PWRs and 80-100 fuel rods for BWRs) are removed from the reactor and allowed to cool in storage pools... (with an illustration of a fuel rod assembly); 3 - Commercial light-water nuclear reactors store spent radioactive fuel in a steel-lined, seismically designed concrete pool under about 40 feet (12.2 meters) of water that provides sheilding from radiation... (with an illustration of a spent fuel pool and a fuel rod assembly). Centered at the top appears the title: Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use (All)
Illustration diagram of Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use, consisting of an image with supporting text: 1 - A nuclear reactor is powered by enriched uranium-235 fuel. Fission (splitting of atoms) generates heat, which produces steam that turns turbines to produce electricity. A reactor rated at several hundred megawatts may contain 100 or more tons of fuel in the form of bullet-sized pellets loaded into long metal rods that are bundled together into fuel rod assemblies. Pressurized-water reactors (PWRs) contain between 120 and 200 fuel assemblies. Boiling-water reactors (BWRs) contain between 370 and 800 fuel assemblies (with illustration of a nuclear reactor and a fuel rod assembly). Centered at the top appears the title: Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use (Nuclear Reactor)
Illustration diagram of Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use, consisting of an image with supporting text: 2 - After 5-6 years, spent fuel assemblies (which are typically 14 feet [4.3 meters] long and which contain nearly 200 fuel rods for PWRs and 80-100 fuel rods for BWRs) are removed from the reactor and allowed to cool in storage pools. At this point, the 900-pound (409-kilogram) assemblies contain only about one-fifth the original amount of uranium-235 (with an illustration of a fuel rod assembly). Centered at the top appears the title: Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use (Fuel Assembly)
Illustration diagram of Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use, consisting of an image with supporting text: 3 - Commercial light-water nuclear reactors store spent radioactive fuel in a steel-lined, seismically designed concrete pool under about 40 feet (12.2 meters) of water that provides sheilding from radiation. Pumps supply continuously flowing water to cool the spent fuel. Extra water for the pool is provided by other pumps that can be powered from an onsite emergency diesel generator. Support features, such as water-level monitors and radiation detectors, are also in the pool. Spent fuel is stored in the pool until it is transferred to dry casks on site or transported to dry casks on site or transported off site for interim storage or disposal (with an illustration of a spent fuel pool and a fuel rod assembly). Centered at the top appears the title: Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use Spent Fuel Generation and Storage After Use (Spent Fuel Pool & Fuel Assembly bundle)
Illustration diagram flowchart of A Typical Rulemaking Process, which starts with rulemaking triggers (Congress/Executive order; Commission/EDO direction; Staff identified need, or Petition for rulemaking), and ends with a published final rule taking effect. In between the start and end are: Commission Review and Approval of Rulemakjng Plan; Public Involvement/Stakeholder Input (Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; Regulatory basis; Preliminary proposed rule language; Public meeting); Agency Evaluates whether public comments justify rulemaking ((for Materials-related rule making), Agreement States, Tribes); Staff Develops The Draft Proposed Rule(stakeholder input, cost and benefits analysis; environmental analysis) Commission Review and Approval of Draft Proposed Rule (Commission issues staff requirements memorandum, Staff resolves Commission comments); Publish Proposed Rule for Comment (Draft environmental assessment, Draft regulatory analysis (cost-benefit), Draft guidance, Public meeting); Staff Evaluates Public Comments; Commission Review and Approval of Draft Final Rule (Commission issues staff requirements memorandum, Staff resolves Commission Comments); Publish Final Rule (Final environmental assessment, Final regulatory analysis, Final guidance); Rules take effect; Compliance Deadline. Centered at the top appears the title: A Typical Rulemaking Process NRC Rulemaking Process
A photo of a piece of natural uranium ore; above to the right and overlapping the photo, is a magenta colored square with the number 92 in the upper left corner; below that is a small Radiation Warning Symbol, and centered in the square is a large 'U' in black text with the word 'Uranium' below it, and the number 238.02891 in the bottom left corner. The words: 'A piece of natural uranium ore' appear below the photo. Centered at the top appears the title: Uranium Uranium
Illustration of U.S. Gross Electric Generation by Energy Source, consisting of a U.S. pie chart transparent background clock and power plug with main 4 icon in white and colored (Natural Gas factory containment icon with background blue, coal cart icon with background red, wind and solar icon with background green, and Nuclear Symbol icon and background color purple; smaller slices of the pie and no icon color Petroleum background in Yellow and Other Sources in black) and below icons with text displaying Natural Gas 38%, Coal 22%, Renewable 20%, Nuclear 19%, Petroleum .5%, and Other Sources .06%; Centered at the top appears the title: U.S. Gross Electric Generation by Energy Source U.S. Electric Share and Generation by Energy Source
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, February 28, 2023