Part 53 (US advanced reactor licensing)
Part 53
A new, optional licensing framework published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March 2026 (10 CFR Part 53), in force from 29 April 2026, that sets safety standards applicable to any reactor technology rather than being written specifically around water-cooled reactors. It adds a third licensing route alongside the older Part 50 (construction permit, then separate operating licence) and Part 52 (combined licence) frameworks; it does not remove the separate design, construction and operating steps those routes require.
Related terms
Guide: How nuclear reactor licensing works in the US, Canada and the UK
- Vocabulary id
concept:part-53- Scheme
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