How to fix the NRC – and unlock advanced nuclear power скачать в хорошем качестве

How to fix the NRC – and unlock advanced nuclear power

With the White House’s May 23, 2025, Executive Order calling for sweeping reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), nuclear engineer and venture capitalist Ray Rothrock outlines three concrete steps to help actualize several of its key mandates and unlock the potential of advanced nuclear power in the U.S. Subscribe to Abundance Institute on YouTube ►    / @abundanceinstitute   Sign up for our newsletter, coming soon ► https://linktr.ee/abundance.institute In this interview, Ray proposes how the U.S. can reform and modernize the NRC’s regulations by applying probabilistic licensing frameworks, reform the NRC’s culture by establishing a single point of executive leadership over NRC staff, and reform the NRC’s structure by creating a new division focused on advanced reactors. These reforms are a positive first step. There is also another complementary path to reform: delegating licensing authority to the states for reactors below a certain size and radiological risk threshold. A recent lawsuit brought against the NRC by states like Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and several nuclear startups—like Last Energy and Valar Atomics—will challenge the NRC’s rigid licensing rules and give states more flexibility to deploy small reactors and build reliable, abundant baseload power... You can read more about that here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/let-state... The NRC can and should continue to play a critical role in coordinating the industry, managing spent fuel standards, and ensuring nonproliferation safeguards—especially for reactors designed for export. But to meet America’s climate and energy goals, parallel reforms at both the federal and state levels can and should be pursued. Ray Rothrock is a former nuclear safety systems engineer and Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist who has championed efforts to modernize U.S. nuclear regulation. He co-founded the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, helped launch the film Pandora’s Promise, and has pushed for a shift from outdated prescriptive rules to flexible, risk-based licensing – arguing that regulatory reform is essential for the U.S. to lead in advanced nuclear innovation. You can find out more about Ray on his website: https://www.rayrothrock.com/