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9 February 2007 -- Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Dale Klein said Thursday the NRC hopes not be to an impediment to the licensing of new reactors that utilities want to build in the coming decade.
"I am a regulator and I cannot promote nuclear energy," Klein said at a recent nuclear energy conference, "but let me indulge in a bit of optimism. I do not believe the NRC to be a bottleneck in the process."
Some concerns have arisen about the NRC's ability to handle an influx of new applications because of the agency's graying workforce and need to add more positions. Klein said the current proposed fiscal 2008 budget will allow the agency to keep dealing with industry growth. He said through the end of fiscal 2008 the agency will hire about 600 more individuals, helping to deal with the growing number of retirees leaving the agency.
Klein, describing his vision of standard applications and a strong regulatory authority with set requirements, said in prepared remarks that the NRC will strive to provide "the regulatory stability needed in the uncertain first days of a rapidly expanding, technologically complex and capital-intensive industrial sector."
He also said he hopes to reduce the time necessary to process new reactor applications.
"We're still looking at ways to reduce the review time required for early site permits and combined operating licenses," he said, "with no compromise on safety. That is not an unrealistic goal if industry does its job at the beginning of the licensing process" with standardized designs and applications.
He predicted that the "pinch points" in the licensing process are finding high quality components, hiring sufficient qualified personnel and connecting substantial numbers of new plants to the nation's electrical grid. He added that the NRC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are working closely to address issues associated with adding plants to the nation's electrical grid to meet increasing demand for electricity.
In addition, he said the agency will make certain its rigorous inspection program will ensure the quality and authenticity of the components that go into new nuclear plants in the United States.
Klein said the agency has worked hard to develop a successful recruiting strategy. He also encouraged the nuclear industry to work at encouraging young Americans to join the industry through financial incentives to students.
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