Reform of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s user-fee model for new licence applicants, combined with more funding for advanced reactor licensing and regulatory infrastructure, will unlock innovation and support US leadership in advanced nuclear energy, a report by the Nuclear Innovation Alliance says.
The 38-page report says the NRC’s fee model inhibits carbon-free advanced nuclear innovation in two main ways. First, it limits the agency’s resources, flexibility, and efficiency; and second, the open-ended costs associated with paying fees impose barriers to new entrants.
Given the importance of developing advanced reactors for decarbonisation, Congress should reevaluate the licensing fee recovery system, according to the report. “User fees can be effective models to internalise regulatory costs of regulated industries, but they can also discourage innovation and limit agency capabilities and flexibility,” it says.
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