Regulatory perspectives of license renewal Original Research Article

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 limits commercial nuclear power reactor licenses to 40 years, but it also permits operating licenses to be renewed, thus extending the term of the licenses beyond the original 40 years. The technical considerations, procedural steps, and criteria are established in 10 CFR Part 54 and 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commissionʹs regulations. This paper will provide a summary of the past and current NRC regulatory activities related to license renewal. It will include a description of the background of the regulations and the major technical requirements of the license renewal rule, 10 CFR Part 54. It will also provide a summary of the ongoing industry license renewal activities and staffʹs review experience to date.