No: 20-024 May 1, 2020

CONTACT: Scott Burnell, 301-415-8200

 

 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff seek public comment regarding information that would assist the agency in drafting a Generic Environmental Impact Statement for small advanced reactor designs.

 

NRC staff will consider written comments on the GEIS scoping process until June 30, following the publication of a notice in the Federal Register. Include Docket ID NRC-2020-0101 with the submitted comment using the regulations.gov website. The Federal Register notice will include details for participating in the NRC’s May 28 webinar to discuss the GEIS process and gather input.

 

The NRC’s GEIS effort would cover advanced nuclear reactors that would generate small amounts of electricity with a small environmental footprint and do not use water to cool the fuel. The GEIS would streamline the environmental review process for future small-scale advanced nuclear reactors. The GEIS would determine a) environmental impacts that could result in essentially the same impact for those designs that fit within parameters set in the GEIS; and b) environmental impacts that would require plant-specific analysis. Environmental reviews for future small-scale advanced nuclear reactor license applications could supplement the GEIS with those site-specific analyses.

 

Small-scale advanced reactors include potential designs that could be licensed for use at U.S. sites that meet NRC requirements. The NRC is using a technology-neutral approach with a range of information broad enough to account for different reactor designs located on a site.

 

The NRC is seeking input from the public and stakeholders regarding the reactor and site parameters that should be included in the GEIS. In addition, the NRC is seeking input on other information types that both can and cannot be resolved generically. Additional information on the GEIS development and schedule is available on the agency’s website.