U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Extends Reactor Design Certifications

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has revised the duration of its licensing design certifications from 15 years to 40 years, with Westinghouse’s AP1000 approval now extended to 2046. The change will be effective from 15 September.

Design certifications are licensing approvals showing that a generic nuclear power plant design passes regulatory and safety requirements and is suitable to be built in the USA.

The Westinghouse AP1000 gained its original design certification in 2006 so the extension means that the design remains licensed, which will help with the overall permissions process for any proposed new units in the USA.

NRC noted that the change means “companies applying to build and operate reactors will have more time to reference already-certified designs by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, NuScale Power, Westinghouse Electric Company, and a Korean consortium.   

The full list of design certifications NRC has issued comprises:

• Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) – General Electric (GE) Nuclear Energy;
• Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) – Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.;
• ABWR Design Certification Rule (DCR) Amendment – South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company;
• System 80+ – Westinghouse Electric Company;
• Advanced Passive 600 (AP600) – Westinghouse Electric Company;
• Advanced Passive 1000 (AP1000) – Westinghouse Electric Company;
• Economic Simplified Boiling-Water Reactor (ESBWR) – GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy;
• NuScale Small Modular Reactor (US600) – NuScale Power, LLC.