Operating Reactors Regulations, Guidance, and Communications
On this page:Regulations
NRC's regulations are found in Chapter I of Title 10, "Energy," of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Chapter I is divided into Parts 1 through 199. The following are the principal part governing the licensing and operation of nuclear reactors:
- Part 26 - Fitness-for-duty programs
- Part 50 - Domestic licensing of product and utilization facilities
- Part 51 - Environmental protection regulations for domestic licensing and related regulatory functions
- Part 52 - Early site permits; standard design certifications; and combined licenses for nuclear power plants
- Part 54 - Requirements for renewal of operating licenses for nuclear power plants
- Part 100 - Reactor site criteria
- All current rulemakings
The NRC Regulatory Agenda ( NUREG-0936 ) is a semiannual compilation of brief descriptions of all rulemaking actions.
Guidance
Regulatory guides are issued in 10 divisions and are intended to aid licensees in implementing regulations. The guides most applicable to nuclear reactors are in:
- Division 1, Power Reactors
- Division 2, Research and Test Reactors
- Division 4, Environmental and Siting
Each regulatory guide is listed by division number, title, date issued, and revisions, if applicable. A guide available at this site has an underscored number. Draft regulatory guides are listed separately. Some regulatory guides not found on the web may be available in NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).
Other guidance documents that may be useful to licensees and other stakeholders are:
- Standard Review Plan on Power Reactor Licensee Financial Qualifications and Decommissioning Funding Assurance (NUREG-1577)
- Standard Review Plan for Evaluating Nuclear Power Reactor License Termination Plans (NUREG-1700)
- Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800)
- Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (NUREG-1437)
Web (HTML) versions of some NUREG-series publications are available in our NRC Formal Publication Collection. Some are also available in ADAMS (see our table listing their availability).
Communications
See our Generic Communications Web page for NRC's primary method of sending information to specific classes of licensees. There are several types, such as bulletins, generic letters, regulatory issue summaries, information notices, circulars, administrative letters, etc.
NRC's Annual Regulatory Information Conference, held each spring, is intended to enhance information exchange and to seek input from reactor licensees, the nuclear industry, public interest groups, and other stakeholders. See the Regulatory Information Conference page for information on this year's conference.
