ML25328A065
| ML25328A065 | |
| Person / Time | |
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| Issue date: | 11/24/2025 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
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| Download: ML25328A065 (0) | |
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THE NRC: WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO Presentation updated December 2019 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission www.nrc.gov
WHO WE ARE Established the NRC to independently regulate commercial use of nuclear
- material, including nuclear power.
The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 Other duties of the former Atomic Energy Commission were assigned to the Department of Energy.
WHO WE ARE The NRC is headed by five Commissioners, all nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate for staggered five-year terms. No more than three can be from the same political party.
The President designates one member of the Commission to serve as Chair and official spokesperson.
WHO WE ARE
- Formulates policies and regulations governing nuclear reactor and materials safety
- Issues orders to licensees
- Adjudicates legal matters brought before it The Commission
among its suburban Maryland headquarters and four regional offices in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois and Texas WHO WE ARE NRC HQ RI RII RIV RIII The NRC employs approximately 3,000 people
, including at least two resident inspectors at each nuclear power plant site.
The NRC receives a budget each fiscal year from Congress. By law, the NRC must recover, through fees billed to licensees, part of its budget authority.
WHO WE ARE Licensee Fees NRC B U D G E T
HOW WE MEET OUR MISSION Ensure protection of nuclear facilities, radioactive materials, and classified and safeguards information Safety Prevent and mitigate accidents and ensure radiation safety Security Set Strategic Goals
HOW WE MEET OUR MISSION Use our Principles of Good Regulation Independence Openness Efficiency Clarity Reliability
SOME NUCLEAR FACTS Nuclear materials are used in medicine for cancer treatment and diagnosis.
Nuclear materials are widely used in industry, such as in density gauges, flow measurement devices, radiography devices and irradiators.
Commercial nuclear power plants supply about 20 percent of electricity in the U.S.
Small amounts of radioactive material are used in common items such as smoke detectors, exit signs and some watches.
EXIT
SOME RADIATION FACTS The average person in the U.S. is exposed to about 620 millirem of radiation a year.
Half of that exposure comes from natural sources (also called background radiation.)
Radiation occurs naturally in the soil, air and water.
The other half largely comes from nuclear medical exams and treatments.
SOME RADIATION FACTS Sources of Radiation Exposure in the United States Cosmic (Space) - 5%
Terrestrial (Soil) - 3%
Internal - 5%
Industrial and Occupational -.1%
Consumer Products - 2%
Nuclear Medicine - 12%
Manmade Sources - 50%
Natural Sources - 50%
Source: NCRP Report No. 160 (2009) www.NCRPpublications.org Radon and Thoron - 37%
(Gas from decaying uranium in soil)
Medical Procedures - 36%
Transportation, storage and disposal of nuclear material and waste, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities Physical security, source security and cyber security Radioactive materials for
- medical, industrial and academic use Commercial power reactors, research and test reactors and new reactor designs THE NRC REGULATES:
WHAT WE DONT DO:
Regulate nuclear weapons, military reactors or space vehicle reactors (These are regulated by other federal agencies.)
Regulate naturally occurring radon or X-rays (These are regulated by states or other federal agencies.)
WHAT WE DO:
- Set Rules
- Licensing
- Oversight
- Enforcement
- Evaluation
- Provide Support
- Incident Response
WHAT WE DO: SET RULES The NRC establishes rules that users of radioactive material must follow. These rules protect workers and the public from the potential hazards of radioactivity.
Before writing or changing the regulations, the NRC solicits and considers the views of the public, industry representatives, researchers, state officials, scientists and technical experts.
WHAT WE DO: LICENSING Any organization or individual intending to have or commercially use nuclear materials that are covered by the NRCs programs must obtain a license from the NRC or an Agreement State (a State that has entered into an agreement with the NRC to regulate nuclear materials.)
These licenses specify the types and quantities of material, the activities it may be used for and additional conditions.
WHAT WE DO: OVERSIGHT The NRC inspects licensed facilities to ensure they meet regulations and the terms of their license.
The NRC also investigates allegations of wrongdoing.
When violations are uncovered, the NRC can:
WHAT WE DO: ENFORCE REGULATIONS
- Issue a notice of violation
- Impose fines
- Modify, suspend or revoke a license for very serious instances of noncompliance
- Prohibit individuals who have engaged in deliberate misconduct from working in NRC jurisdiction
- Refer apparent wrongdoing violations to the Department of Justice
WHAT WE DO: EVALUATION
- The NRC collects and analyzes information about reported events at reactors and materials facilities to assess safety and identify any potential weaknesses in design, operations, procedures or equipment.
- The NRC also identifies and addresses potential safety-related issues that are common among these facilities (called generic safety issues.)
WHAT WE DO: SUPPORT Regulatory research provides technical advice, analytical tools and information to support NRC decisions focusing on safety and security.
Two committees provide independent advice and review of NRC staff proposals Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes
Alert Site Area Emergency General Emergency Notification of Unusual Events WHAT WE DO: INCIDENT RESPONSE The NRC maintains an active program to ensure readiness and response to an event at a nuclear facility potentially affecting public health and safety. Through response centers at its headquarters and regional offices, the NRC provides consultation, support, and assistance to licensees and public officials.
Testing of emergency plans
- Multiple, redundant and independent safety systems Multiple physical barriers, including robust reactor containment to prevent radioactive release REGULATING REACTORS The NRCs safety philosophy includes:
Safety
REGULATING REACTORS The NRC verifies compliance with regulations. Licensees are required to report plant safety data and events to the NRC.
In addition to the NRC resident inspectors onsite who perform daily inspections, other experts also perform periodic inspections.
REGULATING REACTORS The NRC requires:
Regular maintenance to assure equipment is repaired or replaced in a timely manner, and Continual training and qualification of nuclear plant operators.
Reactor Concepts Describe the process for generating electrical power using steam List the barriers to the escape of fission products from the fuel
REGULATING NEW REACTORS Combined License Application Safety Review Public Involvement Final Safety Evaluation Report Commission Decision on Application Hearings Final Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Review Notice of Hearing Public Comments New Reactor Licensing Process The new reactor license review process begins with the submission of a combined license application. Other steps include safety and environmental reviews and opportunities for public input before the Commission makes its decision.
The NRCs materials program covers:
REGULATING MATERIALS
- Facilities that use radioisotopes to diagnose and treat illnesses;
- Devices such as radiography cameras and nuclear gauges;
- Decommissioning and environmental remediation; and
- All phases of the nuclear fuel cycle from uranium recovery to enrichment to fuel manufacture to spent fuel storage and transportation.
REGULATING WASTE The NRC oversees the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel including spent storage facilities.
REGULATING WASTE The NRC also certifies spent fuel storage and transportation casks, approves transport routes and security plans, and regulates disposal of nuclear waste.
REGULATING SECURITY No Trespassing Armed Security Officers on Duty Deadly Force Could be Authorized The NRC has long recognized the importance of securing nuclear facilities and materials.
Nuclear power plants are built to withstand disasters both natural and man-made, and are among the best-protected commercial facilities in the U.S.
The NRC works closely with DHS, the FBI and others to monitor threat conditions.
REGULATING PHYSICAL SECURITY The NRC requires such security measures as:
- Well-armed and well-trained security forces;
- Surveillance and perimeter patrols;
- State-of-the-art site access equipment and controls;
- Physical barriers and detection zones; and
- Intrusion detection systems and alarm stations.
Security Components Water Barriers Security Officers Roving Patrols Intrusion Detection System/Fenceline Access Controls Guard Towers
REGULATING SOURCE SECURITY Access Control/
Physical Barriers Monitor, Detect, and Assess Federal Agencies Threat Assessment Law Enforcement Coordination
- The NRC conducts regular cyber security inspections of nuclear plants to ensure adequate protection of systems and the information they contain from sabotage or malicious use.
- The NRCs cyber security staff includes technology and threat experts who constantly evaluate and identify emerging cyber-related issues.
REGULATING CYBER SECURITY
MAINTAINING READINESS The NRC Operations Center is staffed 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> a day to monitor events and initiate response activities. The staff is prepared to work with other federal agencies under the National Response Framework to respond to significant incidents involving NRC licensees. In addition, the NRC conducts regular exercises to test licensee emergency response and uses mock adversaries to test security response.
NRC Operations Center
PARTNERS IN REGULATION The NRC has granted Agreement States authority to regulate certain radioactive material. Those states develop regulations and appoint officials to ensure the materials are used safely and securely. The NRC retains authority over nuclear reactors, fuel fabrication facilities and certain amounts of radioactive material that can fission (split apart.)
PARTNERS IN REGULATION The NRC works with many other agencies and organizations including:
- Department of Energy
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Congress
- International Atomic Energy Agency
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC The NRC places a high priority on keeping the public and stakeholders informed of its activities.
At www.nrc.gov, you can:
- Find public meeting dates and transcripts
- Read NRC testimony, speeches, news releases and policy decisions
- Access the agencys Electronic Reading Room to find NRC publications and documents;
- Connect with the NRC on social media sites.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
- Nuclear energy and energy policy: www.doe.gov;
- Radiation and health effects: www.epa.gov;
- U.S. Homeland Security initiatives: www.dhs.gov;
- International nuclear affairs: www.iaea.org;
- Being prepared for any emergency: www.ready.gov.
You can also contact the NRC at 1-301-415-7000, 1-800-368-5642, or by e-mail at OPA.Resource@nrc.gov.