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Panel Gives 12–18 Month Window for NRC Part 53 Rule and Praises Licensing Progress
Summary
Industry and federal speakers said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has improved and that the Part 53 rulemaking for advanced reactors could be finalized in roughly 12–18 months, offering a faster pathway tailored to next-generation technologies.
Ben Reinke of X Energy said the NRC process has been "moving slowly in the right direction" after a multi-year engagement with the agency to examine his company's technology and fuel. Reinke described recent organizational changes at the NRC, including an advanced reactor division and staff pressure from Congress, as evidence of progress.
Jeremy Harrell said Part 53 "should be the rule making for the future" and forecast that the new rule could be finalized over the next year to 18 months, enabling a pathway that he says will allow rapid scaling of advanced reactor designs. Panelists also discussed opportunities to validate Part 53 through first-of-a-kind projects with DIU and the Department of Defense.
