Introduction 1

What is Reactor License Renewal? 3

The License Renewal Process 5

The Safety Review 6

The Environmental Review 7

Opportunities for Public Involvement 8

Which Reactors Are Up for Renewal?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

Reactor license renewal is an important part of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission's (NRC) mission to regulate the civilian use of nuclear materials to

ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common

defense and security, and to protect the environment.

For the past 20 years, the NRC has been studying and refining the license renewal process. As of 2008, the NRC has renewed licenses for 26 facilities,

which include 48 nuclear power reactors. Over the next 10 years, a large

number of the remaining U.S. nuclear power facilities are expected to apply

for 20-year operating license extensions.

This brochure provides information on the license renewal process, including the

technical issues that nuclear plant owners consider before submitting an application and the criteria the NRC uses to evaluate a renewal request. This

brochure will also introduce you to some of the NRC’s highly skilled and

uniquely qualified license renewal staff.

Additional information about the NRC can be found on the NRC's Web site

(www.nrc.gov). 

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

This NUREG contains information collection requirements that are

subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et

seq.) These information collections were approved by the Office of

Management and Budget under approval number 3150-0155.

Public Protection Notification

The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a request for information or an information collection requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid

OMB control number.

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2
WHAT IS REACTOR LICENSE RENEWAL?

The NRC licenses and monitors all

commercial nuclear power reactors

operating in the United States. 

The initial licenses permit nuclear

power reactors to operate for up to

40 years. After the initial period of

operation, the NRC may grant a

20-year renewal of the operating 

license as long as the nuclear power

facility owner can demonstrate that

the facility will continue to operate

safely for the extended period of

operation.

NRC resident inspectors, who are

stationed at each nuclear power facility, inspect and monitor nuclear

power facilities daily for operational

safety. Regional inspectors also

conduct inspections throughout the

year. The license renewal process,

on the other hand, ensures that the

plant can safely operate, with 

acceptable environmental impacts,

during the period of extended 

operation. 

Today nuclear energy provides about 20% of the electricity supply in the United

States. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that total electricity

demand will grow by 1.3% per year in the commercial sector and 2% in the residential sector from 2005 to 2030. 

3
The above flowchart illustrates the safety and environmental review process and the

interrelationships among inspections, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) review, and the hearing process.

4
THE LICENSE RENEWAL PROCESS

The NRC license renewal process 

is effective and well established.

Experienced NRC staff members

conduct an extensive application 

review using well-defined schedules

and communicate with all interested parties to actively involve the

public in the license renewal

process. 

The environmental review and the

safety review are the two components of reactor license renewal.

The process for both reviews, which

occur at the same time, generally

takes between 22 and 30 months,

depending on whether there is a

hearing. Decisions to grant or deny

a license renewal application are

based on whether the applicant has

demonstrated that it can meet the

NRC’s environmental and safety

regulations during the period of 

extended operation. 

ACRS conducts an independent

safety review of license renewal 

applications and NRC staff evaluations. This independently appointedcommittee provides a forum

where experts representing many

technical perspectives give advice

that is factored into the Commission’s decision-making process. All

license renewal ACRS meetings are

open to the public and any member of the public may request an

opportunity to make an oral statement during the committee meeting. 

For more information on license renewal, including the status of

current reviews, please visit the Reactor License Renewal Page at 

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal.html.

MORE INFORMATION 

5
THE SAFETY REVIEW

The NRC’s top priority is ensuring

that nuclear reactor facilities operate safely. The NRC performs a

safety review of each license renewal

application to be sure that the 

applicant has demonstrated that it

will manage and monitor the effects

of aging at the nuclear power facility during the period of extended

operation.

In addition, inspectors travel to the

nuclear power facility to verify the

information in the renewal application and confirm that the aging

management programs have been

or are ready to be implemented.

Following the safety review, the

NRC prepares and makes available

to the public a safety evaluation 

report.

6
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

The NRC also has responsibilities

under the National Environmental

Policy Act, which calls for a review

of the environmental impact of reactor license renewal. Alongside its

safety review, the NRC must investigate whether environmental issues

related to the extension of the reactor's operating license exist.

The NRC has evaluated certain 

issues for all plants. NUREG-1437,

“Generic Environmental Impact

Statement for License Renewal of

Plants” (GEIS), Volumes 1 and 2,

May 1996, assessed the scope and

impact of environmental effects

that would be associated with license

renewal at any nuclear power plant

site.

A site-specific supplement to the

GEIS is required for reactor license

renewal. The NRC holds a "scoping" meeting near the plant to get

input from the public and local 

officials on environmental issues

they believe should be included in

the supplement to the GEIS. The

NRC then determines whether

there are any environmental impacts that would affect license renewal.

The NRC publishes the draft supplement to the GEIS for public

comment and holds public meetings. After consideration of comments on the draft, the NRC

prepares and publishes a final supplement to the GEIS.

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Public participation is an important part of the license renewal process of a nuclear power facility. The typical license renewal process includes a number of

meetings that are open to the public for the following purposes:

A meeting with the public to provide an overview of the

license renewal process

A meeting with the public to discuss the scope of the 

environmental review and receive comments

A meeting with the public to discuss the draft site-specific

environmental impact statement and receive comments

Meetings with ACRS to discuss license renewal safety review

The NRCplaces notices in the Federal Register and local newspapers about upcoming public meetings. Meetings are also announced to the media via press 

releases and are listed on the NRC Web site under Public Meetings & 

Involvement. The NRC staff also notifies people who have previously 

attended public meetings related to a specific nuclear power facility or to 

license renewal in general about upcoming meetings that may be of interest. 

Anyone can make a request for a formal adjudicatory hearing, or legal challenge, if he or she would be adversely affected by a particular license renewal.

Anyone interested in filing for a hearing must submit a written request along with

the contentions and supporting information. If the request for the hearing has

proposed at least one contention that meets the requirements of the regulations, a hearing may be granted by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.

8
For more information on the hearing process, please visit the Reactor

License Renewal Hearing Page (http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/introduction/hearing.html.)

For more information on the hearing process, documents available

for comment, and public meetings, please visit the Public Involvement

in Reactor License Renewal Page (http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/public-involvement.html.)

MORE INFORMATION 

9
WHICH REACTORS ARE UP FOR RENEWAL?

Forty percent of the existing nuclear 

reactor facilities have successfully 

completed the license renewal process. The owners of these facilities

have demonstrated their understanding of the effects of aging on

critical safety components and they

have taken actions to ensure safe

operation and minimal environmental impact during the period of

extended operation.

About a third of the remaining 40-

year reactor licenses will expire by

the end of 2020. The total generating capacity of these nuclear power

facilities would meet the electric

needs of the entire population of

the State of New York.

A nuclear power plant licensee may

apply to the NRC to renew its license

as early as 20 years before expiration

of its current license. There is no

limit on how late a licensee may

apply for license renewal. However,

if the licensee submits a renewal application that is sufficient for the

NRC's review at least 5 years before

expiration of its current license and

the agency is still reviewing the application at the end of the 5 years,

the plant can continue to operate

until the NRC completes its review.

The list of approved license renewal

applications, anticipated license renewal applications, and the status

of pending applications can be obtained from the NRC Office of

Public Affairs or on the NRC Web

site (http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/

operating/licensing/renewal/

applications.html). 

10
OPERATING NUCLEAR REACTORS

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BRIAN HOLIAN

As division director, Brian oversees all 

license renewal activities. His 18 years 

of experience at the NRC has included 

licensing activities, work at the Commission level, and nine years in Region I. 

He has a B.S. from Miami University in

preengineering physics and an M.S. 

from the University of Southern California

in systems management and was a former 

senior reactor operator in the industry.

“The process encourages participation. Many people are

skeptical about nuclear power, while others see nuclear energy as

a solution. None of this affects our work; we do our work knowing that public safety is of utmost importance.” 

Division Director of License Renewal

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SAMSON LEE

As deputy director of the license renewal

division, Sam holds a key position at the

NRC. He has a Ph.D. from MIT in 

mechanical engineering and has been 

with the agency for 20 years. 

“The NRC’s overriding task is to protect both the safety

of the people and the environment. We have an amazing group

dynamic where we make it a priority to work well together and

help each other out, ensuring that we can go about the business

of plant safety and protecting the environment.”

Deputy Division Director

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LOUISE LUND

Louise oversees one branch of the license

renewal division’s safety reviewers, which

focuses on the safety reviews for plants

that seek 20-year extensions to their 

operating license. She has a B.S. as 

well as an M.S. in material sciences and

engineering from Washington State 

University. 

“The product we produce is our evaluation of a plant. It

is the culmination of the work of many people who have applied

their expertise in performing a technical review and reaching a

common conclusion. Successful completion of the review process

ensures that the plant can safely manage its aging for the next 20

years of operation.”

Branch Chief

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JEFFERY RIKHOFF 

Jeffery has 20 years of experience in preparing 

environmental impact statements and environmental

assessments. Currently, he oversees health physicists,

biologists, hydrologists, archeologists, and economists

who conduct the environmental review for all license

renewal requests. He holds an M.S. in development

economics and an M.R.P. in regional planning from

the University of Pennsylvania. 

“We have a wide range of environmental science experts who

perform a rigorous review to determine the environmental impacts

of operating a plant for an additional 20 years. This includes looking at the impacts on air, water, plants, and animals, as well as 

people. We perform this review in a very open manner, seeking

public comments and consulting with other Federal, State and local

organizations with environmental expertise. ”

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Senior Environmental Scientist
JIM MEDOFF

Jim is a senior mechanical engineer who

has been at the NRC for 18 years. He

has an M.S. in material engineering

from Drexel University.

“In looking to renew a license, we examine each infrastructure seam or line of tension with safety in mind to ensure

that the plant will operate safely over the next 20 years.” 

Senior Mechanical Engineer

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Jim Medoff (left) and Kenneth Chang
SAMUEL HERNANDEZ

Sam works at the NRC as an environmental

programmer. He has a B.S. degree in

chemical engineering from the University

of Puerto Rico and a Master of Engineering in environmental engineering from the

University of Maryland.

“I always thought someone was looking out for the public 

interests on issues of nuclear power. Now I realize I’m that person, 

and I take that responsibility very seriously. The NRC not only

seeks out all points of view from the public on environmental issues, it also seeks all points of view from a diverse team of environmental professionals to ensure protection of the environment

for the extended life of the plant.”

Project Manager

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MAURICE HEATH

Maurice is a general engineer in the 

license renewal branch of the NRC. 

He has a B.S. degree in mechanical

engineering from North Carolina

Agricultural and Technical State

University.

“We do a considerable amount of public outreach, and it

is clear that many people have real concerns and want to be

heard. Many are concerned with safety, and many are concerned

about the jobs the plants bring. My goal is to make sure the public understands the relicensing process so they can participate.

Public health and safety is our top priority.” 

Project Manager

21
JIM DAVIS

Jim has 18 years of experience working as a

materials engineer in the nuclear industry.

He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in

metallurgical engineering from Ohio State.

“The bottom line is that we make sure everything in a

plant is safe and will remain safe.”

Senior Materials Engineer

22
STEVE KLEMENTOWICZ

Steve has been a senior health physicist

for the NRC for more than 17 years.

He has an M.S. in health physics from

the University of Florida. 

“We all take the responsibility of public trust seriously.

I was trained in health physics. We all understand there is no

room for bias in the rules and regulations of the NRC. We conduct our inspections with complete objectivity. It is an awesome

responsibility. ” 

Senior Health Physicist

23
JONATHAN ROWLEY

Jonathan is a lead project manager for 

the NRC's safety review of a given license

renewal application and coordinates the

NRC's safety evaluation report of that 

license renewal application. He earned an

M.S. in materials engineering from the

University of Texas at Arlington.

“We understand that there are people who feel unsure

about nuclear power. In truth, some of the smartest men and

women work at the NRC. While they understand these 

reservations, they know the expert level of knowledge that has

been applied in the review process and all are committed to 

ensuring the safety of the community.”

Project Manager

24
VERONICA RODRIGUEZ

Veronica has worked for the NRC for 

5 years, first as a reactor engineer 

before taking on her current responsibilities as lead project manager. Veronica

earned a B.S. in chemical engineering

from the University of Puerto Rico and a

master's degree in project management

from the University of Maryland.

“The ongoing health and safety of the public are paramount to the NRC, as is providing the public access to information about the license renewal process. We take very seriously our

responsibility to protect the public and the environment and are

committed to providing opportunities for the public to participate

in the license renewal process and have their questions and concerns addressed in a timely manner.” 

Project Manager

25
For the past 20 years, the NRC has been studying and refining the

license renewal process.

The NRC’s top

priority is ensuring

nuclear reactor

facilities operate

safely.

ACRS conducts an independent safety review of license renewal 

applications and NRC staff evaluations. This independently appointed

committee provides a forum where experts representing many technical

perspectives provide advice that is factored into the Commission’s decisionmaking process.

26
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Reactor License Renewal Page 

(http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal.html.)

Reactor License Renewal Introduction Page (http://www.nrc.gov/

reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/introduction/hearing.html.)

Public Involvement in Reactor License Renewal Page

(http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/

public-involvement.html.)

MORE INFORMATION 

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555-0001

Telephone: (301) 415-8200

or (800) 368-5642

Fax: (301) 415-2234

Email: OPA@NRC.GOV

www.nrc.gov
NUREG/BR-0291, Rev. 2

January 2009