U.S. nuclear revival revolves around NRC, states, industry

By EPN Staff

A veteran member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has taken the helm as chairman and will lead the regulator as nuclear technologies are set to grow their role in the nation’s energy future.

David Wright, a commissioner since 2018, was appointed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 and moved quickly to reinforce the NRC as the world’s gold standard for nuclear regulation.

Why it matters

The NRC is the nation’s regulatory authority overseeing commercial nuclear power plants, including advanced nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors and microreactors. It also regulates the safe use of nuclear medicine and other radioactive material.

The agency works closely with authorities across the states; the NRC has agreements with 39 states that empower those states to “license and inspect byproduct, source or special nuclear materials used or possessed within their borders.”

The commission’s decisions directly affect states’ efforts to increase their use of nuclear energy for electricity generation. Nuclear currently accounts for about 20 percent of U.S. electricity generation and is viewed as critically important for reliability and lowering emissions. In recent years, Wright and the NRC have:

• Overseen the start-up of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia
• Reviewed and approved construction of the Hermes fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature test reactor in Tennessee
• Approved a new regulatory framework for advanced reactors
• Approved new emergency preparedness requirements for small modular reactors
• Approved a new generic environmental impact statement to ensure safe siting of new reactors, which Wright has said could slash environmental review costs by 20 to 45 percent.
• Begun preparations to review requests to restart reactors at the Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania, the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa and the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan.

The bigger picture

Wright has long emphasized the importance of NRC’s staff in successfully shaping and leading the nation’s nuclear ambitions. The five-member commission maintains a $1 billion budget and workforce of about 3,000 highly specialized employees.

Its headquarters is in Rockville, Maryland, and it also has four regional offices and a technical training center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Resident inspectors are stationed at each of the nation’s 54 nuclear plant sites.

In a message to staff shortly after becoming chairman, Wright underscored the commission’s commitment to safety and noted recent bipartisan legislation calls for greater effort to achieve efficiency.

“Together, we will enable the safe and secure use and deployment of nuclear energy technologies and radioactive materials,” Wright wrote. “And our work will positively impact the energy landscape and energy security both here and around the world.”