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Reactor License Renewal Overview

The Atomic Energy Act and NRC regulations limit commercial power reactor licenses to an initial 40 years but also permit such licenses to be renewed. This original 40-year term for reactor licenses was based on economic and antitrust considerations--not on limitations of nuclear technology. Due to this selected time period; however, some structures and components may have been engineered on the basis of an expected 40-year service life.

The NRC has established a timely license renewal process and clear requirements codified in 10 CFR Part 51 and 10 CFR Part 54, that are needed to assure safe plant operation for extended plant life. The timely renewal of licenses for an additional 20 years, where appropriate to renew them, may be important to ensuring an adequate energy supply for the Nation during the first half of the 21st Century.

Nuclear power comprises approximately 20 percent of all the electric power produced in the United States. The first operating license will expire in the year 2006; approximately 10 percent will expire by the end of the year 2010 and more than 40 percent will expire by the year 2015. The decision to seek license renewal is strictly voluntary and nuclear power plant owners (i.e. licensee) must decide whether they are likely to satisfy NRC requirements and whether license renewal is a cost effective venture.

License renewal rests on the determination that currently operating plants continue to maintain adequate levels of safety, and over the plant's life, this level has been enhanced through maintenance of the licensing bases, with appropriate adjustments to address new information from industry operating experience. Additionally, NRC activities have provided ongoing assurance that the licensing bases will continue to provide an acceptable level of safety.

For additional background information on license renewal, see our License Renewal Fact Sheet and Reactor License Renewal Brochure.