New guidance released will help developers of advanced reactors align their concepts with relevant NRC regulations for nuclear power plants.
April 4, 2018
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Cooperation between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) has culminated in the issuance of a significant licensing aide for companies developing advanced reactors. The NRC’s new Regulatory Guide 1.232, “Guidance for Developing Principal Design Criteria for Non-Light-Water Reactors,” helps developers of these technologies align their concepts with relevant NRC regulations for nuclear power plants, and will assist the NRC staff when reviewing future license applications.
The Regulatory Guide’s generic set of Advanced Reactor Design Criteria cover most non-light-water technologies. The guide also includes technology-specific criteria for sodium-cooled fast reactors and high temperature gas-cooled reactors.
As a joint initiative that commenced in 2013, DOE developed draft criteria with input from non-light-water reactor community stakeholders and the NRC took this information and finalized the criteria found in the Regulatory Guide.