U.S. NRC Blog

It’s hard to read the news these days without seeing reports of one entity or another “getting hacked” or being attacked in cyberspace. We’re frequently asked how nuclear power plants are protected from those who try to break into computer systems without...

The Office of New Reactors (NRO) evaluates designs for new reactors and license applications to make sure they meet the necessary laws and regulations. NRO staffers complete these reviews after we’ve gathered the information we need to conclude the design...

As the state of Minnesota was facing the possibility of shutting down most activities because of budgetary issues on July 1, the NRC initiated actions to make sure that adequate protection of the public health and safety will be maintained if the state...

Mathematically, of course, the answer is 0.596 – a tiny amount – but when referring to two different parts of NRC regulations, there’s a big difference. 10 CFR Part 2.802 and 10 CFR Part 2.206 both describe petition processes. However, 2.802 petitions...

The NRC welcomes comments on the topics we’re blogging about. But we realize there are other topics you might want to talk about. This post serves as the Open Forum section of the NRC Blog. You may post comments here on any topic relevant to the role...

While finding that events like the Fukushima accident are unlikely at U.S. reactors and U.S. reactors can be operated safely, the NRC’s Japan Task Force report made public today proposed improvements in a variety of areas, including “loss of power” response...

In the late 1930s, a smoker inadvertently made a discovery for detecting smoke. The Swiss physicist Walter Jaeger tried to invent a sensor for poison gas. His device failed: small concentrations of gas had no effect on the sensor’s conductivity...

The recent events in Japan and their implications for nuclear safety in this country are foremost on everyone’s mind. Since the events began to unfold four months ago, the NRC has taken strong and immediate actions to ensure the continued safety of the...

The NRC Commissioners today were briefed by the near-term task force that had been appointed to look at immediate lessons learned from the Japan nuclear emergency in March. Upfront, the task force told the Commissioners: • A similar sequence of events...

When the NRC Senior Resident Inspector at the Perry Nuclear Plant  in Ohio arrived at the plant on April 22, he stopped first at the outage control office, which oversees work being done during the plant’s refueling and maintenance outage. One job of...

The NRC has just posted on its website an updated report about the NRC’s security activities in the 10 years after the September 11th terrorist attacks. The report, titled “Protecting Our Nation,” (NUREG/Br-0314 Rev. 2) outlines important upgrades in...

An illegal immigrant from Mexico was recently arrested after using an invalid Arizona identification card to enter the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. Power plant security officers reported the suspicious ID to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office...

When the first mass-produced computers hit the stage in the 1950s, nuclear engineers saw the opportunity to use them to help run accident scenarios. It was a good idea that took decades to become reality and the computer limitations created early uncertainty...

The U.S. government – including the NRC – continues to support Japan as that country works to recover from the tragic effects of the March earthquake tsunami. The NRC continues to monitor events at Fukushima Daiichi and maintains a small team of experts...

The NRC works hard to recruit and employ people with disabilities. We work with community outreach groups, advertise positions in a variety of publications of interest to those with disabilities, and participate in career fairs sponsored by organizations...

It’s been almost five months since the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan, but the phones still ring and letters and e-mails still arrive at the NRC. Although the level of worry has declined, concerns remain. Some members of the...

The Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI) is an official advisory committee that comments on changes to NRC medical regulations and guidance. The committee also evaluates certain non-routine uses of radioactive material, provides...

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recently reached two milestones related to the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design, but we’re still months away from any final decisions on these matters. The first milestone deals with the NRC’s review of the design...

The NRC issues licenses that allow nuclear power plants to operate for up to 40 years – a time frame originally chosen for economic and antitrust considerations, not technical limitations. Because of that, we also allow plants to operate for an additional...

After graduating from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in Spring 2011, I was fortunate enough to be hired as a summer intern at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. My experience at the NRC so far has been everything...

Robert Carlson, a branch chief in the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, is also a Brigadier General Select in the U.S. Army Reserves. In May, he was called to active duty to serve as the chief of staff for the U.S. Agency for International Development...

The NRC will begin sending news and information via Twitter beginning today. The NRC Twitter account can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/NRCgov or through the NRC website. Tweets will announce new press releases, speeches, reports, public meeting...

A day after an unusual earthquake in Virginia, the NRC continues to assess operations at the North Anna nuclear power plant, which is a few miles from the epicenter. The plant had originally declared an Alert, the second-lowest of four emergency classifications...

As Hurricane Irene roars up the East Coast, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has prepared for the challenge and awaits landfall. The annual hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and the NRC staff routinely tracks each storm from formation...

Hurricane Irene has affected one NRC-related meeting for certain, and the staff has provided additional details for another meeting. Due to the expected effects of Hurricane Irene, the National Academy of Sciences has canceled its Aug. 29 meeting on the...