Site Selection and Environmental Requirements for Commercial Nuclear Power Plants Under 10 CFR 52

摘要

In order for a commercial nuclear power plant to operate in the United States, it has to obtain a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In the past, nuclear power plants were licensed under a two-step licensing process. This process required separate approvals for both the construction permit and the operating license. In 1989, the NRC established new alternatives for nuclear plant licensing under 10 CFR Part 52, which describes a combined operating licensing process (COL), an early site permit process (ESP), and a standard plant design certification process (DC). An application for a combined license may incorporate by reference DC, an ESP, both, or neither. This approach allows early resolution of safety and environmental issues. The issues resolved by the design certification rulemaking process and during the early site permit hearing process are not reconsidered during the combined license review. These processes are discussed in Figure 1, which shows the relationship between the three processes.