Reactor licensing process: a status report

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), in its review of applications for licenses to construct and operate nuclear power plants, is required to consider those measures necessary to ensure the protection of the health and safety of the public and the environment. The article discusses the NRC staff procedures and policies for conducting the detailed safety, environmental, and antitrust reviews that provide the basis for these assurances. Included is a discussion of the improvements to the licensing process currently being proposed or implemented to enhance its stability and predictability for the benefit of all involved with the regulation of nuclear power. The views and opinions expressed in the article are those of the author alone and do not represent positions of the NRC