# 2025-09798: NRC Makeover: AI and Quantum Speed Up Nuclear Approvals

2025-09798, Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is a Federal Register presidential document from Executive Office of the President published 2025-05-29, effective 2025-05-23; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-09798
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-09798
- Title: Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Type: Presidential Document
- Agencies: Executive Office of the President
- Citation: 90 FR 22587
- Published: 2025-05-29
- Effective: 2025-05-23
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-04

## In one line

NRC Makeover: AI and Quantum Speed Up Nuclear Approvals

## Summary

The President is shaking up the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to speed up safe, affordable nuclear energy in the U.S. This means faster approvals, smarter rules, and a focus on real risks—not imaginary ones—so America can lead in clean power, create lots of good jobs, and cut energy costs. Changes start immediately and aim to boost the economy while protecting national security.

## Effects PRIA read

- Fixed Licensing Deadlines and Fee Caps: benefit, high. The NRC must adopt deadlines and enforce fixed caps on hourly fee recovery: no more than 18 months for a final decision on an application to construct and operate a new reactor, and no more than 1 year for a final decision on an application to continue operating an existing reactor. The rule says d…
- Fast Regulatory Rewrite Timetable: benefit, medium. The NRC must review and wholesale revise its regulations and guidance and publish notice(s) of proposed rulemaking within 9 months of May 23, 2025, and issue final rules and guidance within 18 months of that date.
- National Goal: 400 GW by 2050 and Job Growth: benefit, high. The Administration directs expansion of U.S. nuclear capacity from approximately 100 GW in 2024 to 400 GW by 2050 and says reforms will create "tens of thousands" of high-paying jobs and help cut energy costs.
- Reconsider Radiation Standards (LNT and ALARA): mixed, medium. The NRC is directed to reconsider reliance on the linear no-threshold (LNT) model and the "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA) standard and to consider adopting determinate radiation limits in consultation with DOD, DOE, and EPA.
- Expedited Pathway for DOD/DOE-Tested Designs: benefit, medium. The NRC must establish an expedited approval pathway for reactor designs that the Department of Defense or the Department of Energy have tested and that have demonstrated the ability to function safely; NRC review of such designs will focus only on risks arising from the new application.
- High-Volume Licensing for Micro/Modular Reactors: benefit, medium. The NRC shall establish a process for high-volume licensing of microreactors and modular reactors, including allowing standardized applications and approvals and considering regulation via general licenses for reactors or components.
- Support for Reactor Extensions and Reactivation: benefit, medium. The order directs support for continued operation and appropriate operational extensions for the current nuclear fleet, and to facilitate reactivation of prematurely shuttered or partially completed nuclear facilities.

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## Sources
- [2025-09798 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/29/2025-09798/ordering-the-reform-of-the-nuclear-regulatory-commission)
- [2025-09798 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-05-29/pdf/2025-09798.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-09796, Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-09796)
- [Next: 2025-09799, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-09799)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-09798 (as of 2026-11-04).