NRC updates mission statement to reflect goal of empowering new nuclear

In the ADVANCE Act, passed in 2024, Congress directed the NRC to revisit its mission statement within a year and add language that expands from its singular focus on safety. The new statement includes the NRC’s intent to conduct its licensing and regulatory processes in a manner that is efficient and does not unnecessarily limit the benefits of civilian use of radioactive materials and nuclear energy technology to society.

Here is the full NRC mission statement:

The NRC protects public health and safety and advances the nation’s common defense and security by enabling the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear energy technologies and radioactive materials through efficient and reliable licensing, oversight, and regulation for the benefit of society and the environment.

Quotable: “The future of nuclear energy and radioactive materials in this country is at a crossroads, and the NRC should position itself to be a part of the solution,” said NRC chair David Wright in a news release on January 24. “Congress has directed the NRC to be an enabler to nuclear technologies while staying true to the core principles laid out in the Atomic Energy Act. This updated mission statement meets that intent.”

A look back: The mission statement update has been a long time coming, as the NRC has had to pivot and grow in recent years due to the resurgence in nuclear energy interest and investment. Many nuclear advocates have been frustrated by delays and outdated requirements at the commission.

In 2023, members of Congress sent letters to nuclear stakeholders seeking input ahead of a hearing about NRC oversight. Craig Piercy, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the American Nuclear Society, was among those asked to provide insight.

“The modern case for nuclear safety demands a holistic approach, one that operationalizes the urgency of the moment, applies risk assessment in the broadest possible scope, and defines the ‘public good’ as the-most-good-for-the-most-people,” Piercy said. “This kind of recognition by NRC leadership would not require the agency to make wholesale changes to its regulations or processes, but it would send a powerful signal, both internally and externally, that timeliness in its licensing and regulatory actions is a central tenet of NRC’s mission.”