1. U.S., Canada, and UK nuclear regulatory agencies will collaborate on technical reviews and share best practices for advanced reactors and small modular reactor (SMR) technologies.
2. The trilateral memorandum of cooperation (MOC) focuses on developing shared technical review approaches to facilitate regulatory reviews that address each country’s national regulations.
3. The MOC will supersede earlier bilateral agreements and is aimed at ensuring the efficient deployment of advanced reactor technology while maintaining safety standards.
Nuclear regulatory agencies in the U.S., Canada, and the UK have agreed to collaborate on technical reviews and share best practices for advanced reactors and small modular reactor (SMR) technologies to improve regulatory efficiency and effectiveness as more reactor technologies seek approval in the three countries. A trilateral memorandum of cooperation (MOC) was signed to develop shared technical review approaches and address common technical questions.
The MOC emphasizes collaboration on pre-application activities to ensure mutual preparedness for efficiently reviewing advanced reactor and SMR designs. It also calls for collaborations on research, training, and regulatory approaches to address unique technical considerations for safety. The agreement supersedes earlier bilateral agreements between the entities and aims to streamline the licensing processes for advanced reactor technologies.
Both the U.S. and the UK have been preparing for a ramp-up in advanced reactor licensing. The UK has issued consultations and a civil nuclear roadmap to streamline nuclear reactor design assessment and licensing. The NRC in the U.S. has directed its staff to publish a proposed rule and guidance for a licensing framework for advanced technologies. The agreement between the regulatory agencies aims to ensure safe and efficient deployment of advanced reactor technology.