Staff Reports
Nuclear power was once hailed as the shining knight in the renewable energy crusade, destined to deliver electricity at prices so low that consumers could practically plug in for free. But dreamers beware—the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reared its bureaucratic head, upping the stakes with regulations more constrictive than a pair of skinny jeans at a family barbecue. The vision of making nuclear energy accessible to all is fading under a mountain of regulations that seem more like bureaucratic hurdles than genuine safety measures.
The NRC operates like an overzealous parent who believes rules are the sole ingredient for safety, as if slapping more regulations onto the nuclear industry will magically shield the public. With a budget primarily funded by fees generated from the industry, the NRC has developed a vested interest in keeping the regulatory machine humming, even if it stifles innovation in the process. It’s almost like they think that a hug from a regulation will fix everything.
Consider the following: even a pint-sized reactor at the University of Utah or Texas A&M, which produces enough electricity to power a nightlight, faces a daunting annual licensing fee of $144,000. In an industry poised for a breakthrough, this financial burden is akin to asking a starving artist to pay for a canvas before they can even begin painting. Such costs, tied up in a bureaucratic system bogged down with red tape, send any aspiring nuclear innovator running for the hills or, more aptly, to the nearest coffee shop to brainstorm ways to avoid the NRC’s clutches.
Nonetheless, entrepreneurial spirits like Deep Fission are aiming to shake things up. This startup has thrown down the gauntlet, suing the NRC over the ridiculously high fees imposed on new reactors, including those with innovative designs cleverly buried a mile underground. By situating reactors in stable bedrock, they argue they can negate the need for extensive overhead containment buildings—essentially making energy cheaper and safer. However, until the NRC ditches its archaic fee structures and onerous requirements, these advancements might remain locked in an energy crate under the commissioner’s desk.
Restrictive and Somethimes Ludicrous Regulations Are Stifling the Revolution in Nuclear Reactorshttps://t.co/iuemtx6AQd
— PJ Media (@PJMedia_com) April 16, 2025
As the universe rushes toward a future driven by technology and the insatiable appetite of artificial intelligence for power, the NRC is playing the role of the tortoise in a race where speed counts. Major tech players such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are stepping into the nuclear game, eager to revive dormant facilities like the infamous Three Mile Island plant to quench the thirst of their energy-hungry data centers. Meanwhile, smaller marvels, like the anticipated eVinci microreactor from Westinghouse, are on the cusp of commercial viability, promising a revolution in how America generates energy.
For the U.S. to reclaim its standing as a leader in nuclear energy innovation and competition, the NRC cannot cling to its outdated methodologies. The world is shifting rapidly toward nuclear solutions, yet here remains the NRC, tangled in its own bureaucratic web. As demand for electricity surges, driven by a wave of tech advancements, a sensible regulatory overhaul could usher in a new era of nuclear energy freed from the restrictive chains of inefficient policies.
