NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
The U.S. federal agency responsible for licensing and regulating civilian nuclear power plants, reactors, materials, and waste. The NRC reviews and certifies reactor designs and issues operating licenses.
Why It Matters
NRC approval is required before any nuclear reactor can operate in the U.S. Design certification takes 3-7+ years. The pace of NRC reviews directly affects how quickly new reactor types can be deployed.
Related Topics
Related Terms
Small Modular Reactor (SMR)
A nuclear reactor with electrical output under 300 MW (vs. 1,000+ MW for conventional reactors), designed for factory fabrication and site assembly. Key designs include NuScale VOYGR, TerraPower Natrium, and X-energy Xe-100.
Nuclear Fission
The process of splitting a heavy atomic nucleus (such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239) into two lighter nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy. This is the reaction that powers all current nuclear power plants.