Plant standardization speeds N-licensing process

Recommended improvements in nuclear power plant licensing procedures stress the need for pre-approved sites and standardized plant design to shorten construction lead time without jeopardizing safety review. Standardization reduces the engineering changes that are needed during construction and means that contractors can proceed with less risk that construction will be stopped. A power-worthiness certificate, such as the General Electric Standard Safety Analysis Report, for plant designs is suggested as a way to handle advance approvals. The Tennessee Valley Authority is using a variation of this approach with success. The case for advancing the nuclear option in this way is based on the need to reduce dependence on oil imports, the growing capacity of operating nuclear reactors, and the uncertainty of coal conversion