Risk-Informed, Technology-Inclusive Regulatory Framework for Advanced Reactors

Document 2026-06048 is a Final Rule published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the Federal Register on March 30, 2026, with an effective date of April 29, 2026. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations by adding a risk-informed, performance-based, and technology-inclusive regulatory framework for commercial nuclear plants in response to the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA). The current application and licensing requirements were primarily developed to address license requests concerning light water- cooled reactors and operational requirements for those types of reactors. This final rule responds to NEIMA by creating an alternative, technology-inclusive regulatory framework to accommodate licensing of future commercial nuclear plants, including advanced reactor designs that may not employ light-water technology. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/30/2026-06048/risk-informed-technology-inclusive-regulatory-framework-for-advanced-reactors.

No. Document 2026-06048 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.