The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) today proposed significant updates to its regulations for transporting radioactive materials, aiming to modernize decades-old requirements to accommodate advanced nuclear technologies while maintaining stringent safety standards.
This proposed rule would shift from prescriptive certification to a more flexible, risk-informed framework, allowing applicants to use NRC-endorsed methodologies to demonstrate package safety. It also updates package approval requirements to support larger and more advanced nuclear technologies, ensuring the regulatory system evolves with innovation.
NRC Chairman Ho K. Nieh said, “America’s next generation of nuclear technologies requires a transportation framework designed for today’s challenges. Enabling regulation protects people without slowing down innovation.” The changes include modernizing package certification, updating approval requirements for new fuel types, streamlining regulatory reviews, and eliminating paper reporting through electronic submissions.
This initiative is part of the NRC’s broader effort to modernize regulations under Executive Order 14300 and the ADVANCE Act of 2024. The NRC will accept public comments for 30 days after Federal Register publication and plans a public meeting to discuss the proposal.