NRC wants to speed things up

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The new head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the NRC should be able to review license applications for new plants in less than 42 months.

That's how long it currently takes to process an application for a license, Dale Klein said Wednesday at a Platts Energy Podium in Washington.

Klein said he believed the licensing process should not take almost as long to complete as plant construction. The nuclear industry estimates a new reactor could be built in 48 months.

"I believe we can accelerate the process after we go through the first few, with no compromise on safety," Klein said of the application process.

The NRC has received indications from 16 entities, representing a potential 27 new units, that they intend to apply to the commission for permission to build and operate new plants, Klein said.

Interest in building nuclear facilities has risen as concerns over global warming have intensified.