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![handle is hein.gao/gaobaaxbc0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DCCUENT RESUME
05656 - [B1246204]
Nuclear Powerplant Licensing: Need for Additional Improvements.
EMD-78-29; B-127945. April 27, 197d. 43 pp. + 3 appendices (33
pp.).
Report to the Conqress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptrcller General.
Issue Area: Enerqy: Making Nuclear Fission a Sukstantial Energy
Source (1608).
Contact: Energy and Minerals Div.
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy:
Ener.-y (305).
Organization Concerned: Nuilear Regulatory Commission.
Conqressional Relevance: Senate Cotmittee ou Energy and Natural
Resources; Congress.
Authority: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Atcmic
Energy Act.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NBC) regulates the
construction and cperation of commercial nuclear powerplants by
establishing minimum construction and operating standards and by
conducting reviews to determine if the standards are adeguately
understood and implemented. The revieha result in two licenses
for each plant- one permitting coatstruction and another allowing
operation after construction is completed.
Findings/Conclusions: Improvements are needed in management of
the licensing process in the following ireas: practices involved
in imposing new regulatory requirementg, evaluation of data to
updat- the regulatory process, and guidance and training of
reviewers. Almost 97% of NRC reviewers believed that pouerplant
designs were either adequate or more conservative than
necessary, but a large majority of th# reviewers thought that
some important safety items were not being reviewed cx that time
constraints limitel efforts. Charges brought by NBC employees
that NBC neqlects safety issues, restricts staff detate, and
takes reprisals against dissenters were reviewed ty NRC and the
Conqress. Most reviewers believe that they can raise dissenting
issues without reprisals, but some are not sure of NRC's desire
to hear these issues. NRC has taken steps tc streamline the
licensinq process and reduce the time required for licenring and
construction. Also, the administraticc propcsed legislation to
increase regulatory efficiency, including the use ef
standardized designs and early approval of sites.
Recommendations: In considering legislative proposals, the
Congress should require that: NBC develop a method tc update and
certify the continued acceptability of proposed poerplant
sites; the Advisory Committee on Jeactor Safeguards review
applications which do not include plant designs approved umder a
formal NBC standardization program; adequate public hearings be
held when decisions are made that relate to the National
Environmental Policy Act; and NBC, before transferring the act
requirements tn States, insure that their environmental prcgrams](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaxbc0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)