§6265 Use of probabilistic risk assessment to ensure nuclear safety of facilities of the Administration and the Office of Environmental Management

Summary

The Administrator and the Secretary of Energy must make sure that how they check, approve, and watch over safety at certain nuclear sites follows U.S. and international standards and industry best practices. When there is enough data, they must use probabilistic or quantitative risk assessments as part of those methods. Those risk studies must support, not replace, the rule in section 182 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2232) that using or making special nuclear material must meet national defense needs and protect public health and safety. This applies to the Administrator for national security labs and nuclear weapons production sites, and to the Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management’s defense nuclear facilities.