States and Startups Are Suing the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
1 min read
Summary
A group of American nuclear companies are suing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) claiming that they are creating prohibitively onerous regulations which are forcing companies to develop technology overseas.
The lawsuit, which has been joined by a number of US states, argues that by regulating smaller reactors, the NRC is misreading a crucial piece of nuclear legislation; the Atomic Energy Act, passed in 1954.
It is claimed that the NRC’s imposition of a cumbersome licensing process for all types of reactors is stifling progress and violating the Atomic Energy Act.
Nuclear energy companies in the US have found it cripplingly expensive to get designs approved, and as a result, other countries, such as China and South Korea, have raced ahead with reactor construction, leaving the US behind.
Public sentiment and support for nuclear power in the US is reportedly at its highest for 15 years, with many viewing it as a safe, clean energy solution.
