United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Mission

License and regulate the Nation’s civilian use of byproduct, source, 

and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public 

health and safety, promote the common defense and security, and 

protect the environment.

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Table of contents

Message from the Chairman ......................................................1

Introduction.........................................................................................2

About the NRC ..................................................................................................................................2

A Stable Regulator in a Dynamic Environment................................................................................2

Organization of the Strategic Plan ...................................................................................................4

Key Elements in the Plan..................................................................................................................4

Safety.............................................................................................................6

Strategic Outcomes..........................................................................................................................6

Discussion ........................................................................................................................................6

Safety Goal Strategies......................................................................................................................8

Means to Support Safety Strategies................................................................................................9

Security .....................................................................................................12

Strategic Outcome .........................................................................................................................12

Discussion ......................................................................................................................................12

Security Goal Strategies ................................................................................................................12

Means to Support Security Strategies...........................................................................................13

Organizational Excellence.....................................................16

Openness..................................................................................................................................................16

Effectiveness............................................................................................................................................17

Operational Excellence ...........................................................................................................................18

Appendices ...............................................................................................20

Appendix A: Key External Factors..................................................................................................20

Appendix B: Planned Program Evaluations..........................................................................................21

Appendix C: Glossary..............................................................................................................................23
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Commissioner Gregory B. Jaczko, Chairman Dale E. Klein, 

and Commissioner Peter B. Lyons.
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013

My fellow Commissioners and I are pleased to present the 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) Strategic Plan for 

Fiscal Years 2008–2013. During this time period the agency will face 

significant changes and challenges, including the potential receipt of 

applications to construct and operate new nuclear power plants and 

to dispose of high-level radioactive waste. This updated Strategic 

Plan sets forth a broad vision of how the NRC will address these 

challenges. 

As the agency prepares for these new responsibilities, our priority 

remains, as always, the adequate protection of public health, safety, 

and the environment, and promoting common defense and security. 

The NRC’s Safety and Security strategic goals, as well as their 

associated strategic outcomes, continue to describe the agency’s 

core functions and also remain essentially unchanged. This focus 

on safety and security ensures that the NRC remains a strong, 

independent, stable, and predictable regulator. The Strategic Plan 

also describes the agency’s Organizational Excellence Objectives 

of Openness, Effectiveness, and Operational Excellence. These 

objectives characterize the manner in which the agency intends to 

achieve its Safety and Security goals.

In developing our Strategic Plan, the Commission benefited from 

input from our staff and external stakeholders, including members 

of the public, the Congress, and the nuclear industry. We thank 

all the stakeholders who shaped the Strategic Plan, as well as the 

NRC staff who worked diligently to produce a Strategic Plan that the 

Commission believes is comprehensive and clear. The Strategic Plan 

for Fiscal Years 2008–2013 will serve as a guide for how the NRC 

discharges its responsibilities to the American people.

Message from the Chairman
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

The NRC is responsible for regulating domestic 

activities related to radiation protection and nuclear 

safety for nuclear facilities and for promoting the 

common defense and security related to uses of 

radioactive materials. The NRC also licenses the import 

and export of radioactive materials, participates in 

international nuclear activities, including multilateral 

and bilateral safety and security activities, and 

works closely with its international counterparts to 

enhance nuclear safety and security worldwide. 

In addition, 34 States have signed agreements with the 

NRC under which they assume regulatory responsibility 

for the use of certain quantities of radioactive materials 

for civilian purposes in their respective States. These 

Agreement States implement State regulations that 

are compatible with NRC regulations. In all, they issue 

about 80 percent (17,600) of the more than 22,000 

radioactive materials licensees in the United States. The 

NRC works closely with Agreement States to ensure 

a consistent regulatory framework, nationwide. 

A Stable Regulator in a Dynamic Environment

The regulatory environment associated with the use 

of radioactive materials is changing. The expected 

receipt of applications to construct and operate new 

nuclear power plants, and to dispose of high-level 

radioactive waste, are two of the major challenges 

potentially facing the NRC over the next several years. 

To meet these challenges, the NRC must efficiently use 

its resources, update the agency’s regulatory review and 

construction inspection guidelines, and provide adequate 

infrastructure to accommodate staff. 

Even as the NRC works to address growth in the 

industry, the agency’s mission and values remain 

unchanged. The NRC’s priority continues to be ensuring 

the adequate protection of public health, safety, and the 

environment, while promoting the common defense and 

security. 

Introduction 

About the NRC

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or 

agency) was established by the Energy Reorganization 

Act of 1974 and began operations in 1975. The 

NRC was established to regulate the civilian use 

of nuclear materials for commercial, industrial, 

academic, and medical uses in order to protect 

public health and safety and the environment, and 

promote the common defense and security. 

The NRC’s scope of responsibility includes regulation 

of commercial nuclear power plants; research and 

test reactors; nuclear fuel cycle facilities; medical, 

academic, and industrial uses of radioactive 

materials; the decommissioning of these facilities 

and sites; and the transport, storage, and disposal 

of radioactive materials and wastes. The NRC’s 

regulations are designed to protect both the public 

and occupational workers from radiation hazards. 

The NRC is headed by five Commissioners appointed 

by the President of the United States, with the advice 

and consent of the U.S. Senate, to serve 5-year terms. 

The President designates one of the Commissioners 

to serve as Chairman. Under the leadership and policy 

direction of the Chairman and Commissioners, the 

NRC issues licenses and oversees licensees for civilian 

uses of radioactive materials, including 104 commercial 

nuclear power reactors; 33 research and test reactors; 

approximately 4,500 licensed reactor operators; 3 early 

site permits; 4 reactor design certifications; 40 uranium 

recovery sites; 9 major fuel cycle facilities; approximately 

4,400 research, medical, industrial, government, and 

academic materials licensees; and an increasing number 

of independent spent fuel storage installations (currently 

46 licensees). The NRC also consults with the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) regarding disposal options 

for waste incidental to reprocessing and monitors 

DOE disposal actions for these incidental wastes.
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 

Safety and security remain the agency’s core functions, 

and the goals and strategic outcomes of the Strategic 

Plan are based on these functions. This focus on safety 

and security ensures that the NRC remains a strong, 

independent, stable, and predictable regulator.

Over the strategic planning period, the Nation 

is likely to see the following occur:

n The NRC expects to receive additional 

applications from entities that want to build 

and operate new nuclear power plants. The 

NRC also expects to receive applications for 

new fuel cycle facilities, including a significant 

number of uranium recovery applications. 

n The DOE may submit an application to 

construct a high-level radioactive waste 

repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. 

n Increasing quantities of spent nuclear fuel 

will be held in interim storage at reactor sites 

or transported to centralized interim storage 

sites awaiting permanent disposal. 

n The NRC will continue to coordinate with a 

wide array of Federal, State, local, and Tribal 

authorities on issues related to license renewal, new 

reactor licensing, homeland security, emergency 

planning, and protection of the environment. 

n The number of Agreement States will increase, as 

will the numbers of medical, academic, and industrial 

entities using radioactive materials under the 

oversight of the Agreement States. 

The NRC recognizes that these changes will 

create an even greater need for effective and open 

communication with public stakeholders about a 

variety of issues. These include the safety and security 

of existing and proposed nuclear power plants and 

other licensed facilities and materials, emergency 

preparedness, and the impact on public health and 

safety and the environment from medical, academic, and 

industrial uses of licensed materials.

The unfolding of these complex regulatory issues also 

will require much more sophisticated techniques for the 

Figure 2. NRC Regions

NRC Regional Map
 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

flow of documents and information, a process called 

knowledge management. The agency is in the process 

of attracting additional staff. We realize that in order to 

retain these highly skilled and educated professionals, 

who are critical to the agency, we must provide them 

the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively and 

a high degree of workplace satisfaction. The agency’s 

comprehensive knowledge management approach is 

focused on ensuring that all staff members are highly 

trained in the technical disciplines relating to their duties, 

the regulatory processes that govern agency actions, and 

the regulatory principles inherent in making the agency a 

strong, independent, stable, and predictable regulator. 

Being a stable and predictable regulator implies 

having effective and structured regulatory processes 

in place and ensuring that these processes are 

followed. New regulatory initiatives will be developed 

in accordance with these processes, open to public 

review and comment. The NRC is committed to 

considering and being responsive to stakeholder input 

before implementing any new regulatory initiative.

Organization of the Strategic Plan

This Plan describes the NRC’s mission, values, and 

strategic goals of Safety and Security. For each of 

these goals, the Plan describes its strategic outcomes 

and discusses issues, strategies, and the means to 

support the strategies during this strategic planning 

period. The Plan then describes the organizational 

excellence objectives (i.e., openness, effectiveness, 

and operational excellence) to support the strategic 

goals of Safety and Security. For each of the excellence 

objectives, the Plan discusses issues and strategies.

Appendix A expands the discussion of the 

agency’s strategic goals by noting key external 

factors that could affect the agency’s ability 

to effectively execute this Strategic Plan. 

Appendix B describes the schedule of planned 

program evaluations that the agency will use 

to adjust and refine its performance. 

Appendix C is a glossary of terms used in the plan.

Key Elements in the Plan

Mission

License and regulate the Nation’s civilian use of 

byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials 

to ensure adequate protection of public health 

and safety, promote the common defense and 

security, and protect the environment.

Values

The safe use of radioactive materials and nuclear 

fuels for beneficial civilian purposes is enabled by 

the agency’s adherence to the principles of good 

regulation–independence, openness, efficiency, clarity, 

and reliability. In addition, regulatory actions are effective, 

realistic, and timely.

Strategic Goals

Safety: Ensure adequate protection of public 

health and safety and the environment.

Security: Ensure adequate protection in the secure 

use and management of radioactive materials.

Introduction


Refueling a nuclear reactor.
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

The NRC achieves its Safety goal by licensing individuals 

and organizations to use radioactive materials for 

beneficial civilian purposes and then ensuring that 

these licensees perform at acceptable safety levels. In 

particular, the agency maintains vigilance over safety 

performance through licensing reviews, inspections, 

expanded oversight (when needed), rulemaking, and 

incident response. The NRC continually seeks to identify 

and resolve potential safety issues, including those with 

generic implications for multiple reactors and licensees. 

The NRC also uses enforcement actions to require 

licensees to correct license deficiencies. These include 

issuing orders for corrective action, issuing shutdown 

orders, imposing civil penalties, seeking criminal 

prosecution, or suspending or revoking a license.

The agency’s regulatory activities are consistent with 

the risk presented by specific uses, incorporating 

sound science and operating experience to ensure that 

licensees have adequate safety margins. In carrying 

out its safety mission, the NRC employs the full range 

of actions necessary to ensure that a licensee’s 

performance does not fall below acceptable levels. 

Important current and future challenges for the agency 

include materials degradation issues at existing nuclear 

power plants; high-level waste transport, storage, and 

disposal; new and evolving technologies, including 

digital instrumentation and controls; and analyzing 

domestic and international operating experience and 

other events of national interest for lessons learned and 

best practices. Other considerations include upgrading 

incident response systems, employing a multifaceted 

regulatory approach, and cooperating and coordinating 

with other domestic agencies and government entities. 

About half of the operating nuclear power plants in 

the United States have received 20-year extensions 

of their operating licenses, and most of the rest are 

expected to apply for license extensions in the future. 

Materials degradation is the primary consideration in 

Safety

Goal:

Ensure adequate protection of

public health and safety and 

the environment.

Strategic Outcomes

n	 Prevent the occurrence of any 

nuclear reactor accidents.

n	 Prevent the occurrence of any 

inadvertent criticality events.

n	 Prevent the occurrence of any acute 

radiation exposures resulting in fatalities.

n	 Prevent the occurrence of any releases 

of radioactive materials that result in 

significant radiation exposures.

n	 Prevent the occurrence of any releases of 

radioactive materials that cause significant 

adverse environmental impacts.

Discussion

The NRC’s primary function is to regulate the safe use 

of radioactive materials for civilian purposes to ensure 

adequate protection of public health and safety and the 

environment. In responding to anticipated developments 

in the nuclear arena over the next several years, 

including the review of a number of new nuclear reactor 

applications, the NRC will continue to place significant 

emphasis on strengthening the interrelationship among 

safety, security, and emergency preparedness.
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 

granting a license extension. The aim of the license 

renewal process is to evaluate whether aging effects are 

monitored, managed, and controlled such that safety 

is ensured for the renewal period. License renewal 

applications for aging plants call for analysis of the 

robustness, longevity, and continued performance 

of nuclear power plant components, such as electric 

cabling, piping, and containment structures.

Nuclear facility licensees are replacing analog 

instrumentation and control equipment with digital 

equipment because analog replacement parts are 

becoming more difficult to obtain. Digital systems 

also offer potentially better performance and features 

than analog systems. New advanced reactor plants 

are expected to use advanced digital instrumentation 

and control systems and control room operator 

interfaces, presenting regulatory and licensing 

challenges for the agency and the nuclear industry. 

The agency is preparing for the review of applications 

to construct and operate a new generation of 

nuclear plants. The agency has reorganized its 

headquarters reactor licensing organization to 

dedicate the necessary resources to conduct timely 

reviews of these applications while also ensuring 

that adequate resources are available to support the 

operational safety of the current fleet of reactors. 

With the development of new reactor designs and other 

new facilities and technologies, the NRC is working 

closely with regulators in other countries interested 

in participating in the Multinational Design Evaluation 

Program, in which several nations jointly cooperate in 

sharing information regarding the review of new reactor 

designs. These next-generation designs require detailed 

evaluation of their vulnerability to accidents and attacks, 

as well as development of inspections, tests, analyses, 

and acceptance criteria for their construction. First-ofa-kind construction, startup, and operation of several 

U.S.-designed nuclear power plants will continue to occur 

outside of the United States. A significant percentage of 

the major components both for these initial plants and for 

plants that may eventually be built in the United States 

will be manufactured in other countries. In response, the 

NRC is actively engaged with its counterpart regulatory 

authorities in these countries in enhancing the sharing 

of relevant information, experience, and expertise. 

The agency is also preparing for the review of the DOE’s 

anticipated application to establish the Nation’s first 

repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca 

Mountain, Nevada. The NRC’s review of this application 

will require evaluation of a wide range of technical and 

scientific analyses and the resolution of various regulatory 

issues on a challenging schedule. Additionally, the 

Nation will require the continued safe management of 

interim storage capacity for spent nuclear fuel. Toward 

that end, the NRC regulates various options for interim 

storage, including onsite spent fuel pools and dry casks 

NRC inspector examining reaction levels at a nuclear 

power plant.
 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

at independent spent fuel storage installations in a riskinformed and performance-based manner consistent 

with the approach the NRC takes to regulating reactors. 

In addition, the NRC regulates the safety of spent fuel 

transportation packages. These packages are evaluated, 

tested, and certified as capable of safely transporting 

spent fuel from reactor sites or other storage facilities.

Industry interest in fuel cycle facilities is expected to 

continue, with these projects requiring NRC review. The 

staff expects to receive two new license applications for 

uranium enrichment plants. The agency is also reviewing 

applications for new uranium recovery sites, restarts, or 

expansions of existing facilities from U.S. corporations 

participating in the domestic and international uranium 

markets to support the new generation of nuclear 

plants. Furthermore, the NRC is reviewing a license 

application for a mixed-oxide fuel facility that would 

use plutonium salvaged from decommissioned 

nuclear weapons to fabricate fuel assemblies for use 

in nuclear power plants as a technique to reduce 

existing quantities of weapons-usable materials. 

The NRC employs a multifaceted regulatory approach 

to meet the continuing challenge of insisting that its 

licensees operate nuclear facilities and use radioactive 

materials safely. 

Additionally, the NRC believes that close cooperation 

among Federal agencies, State authorities, and 

local and Tribal authorities will lead to more effective 

regulation. Therefore, the NRC works with other Federal 

agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Food 

and Drug Administration, and the DOE, Transportation, 

Justice, and Homeland Security, as well as State, 

local, and Tribal authorities, to ensure appropriate 

coordination for the accomplishment of its mission. 

States that have entered into Agreements with the 

Commission carry out coordinated and comparable 

programs for nuclear materials within their borders.

Nuclear safety is a global issue and a continuing 

challenge. The NRC closely cooperates with its 

counterpart foreign regulatory bodies and international 

organizations, such as the International Atomic 

Energy Agency and the Organization for Economic 

Cooperation and Development’s Nuclear Energy 

Agency, to share information, resources, best practices, 

and lessons learned from operating experience 

and to influence the development of standards 

and guidance consistent with U.S. objectives.

Safety Goal Strategies

1. Develop, maintain, and implement licensing and 

regulatory programs for reactors, fuel facilities, 

materials users, spent fuel management, uranium 

recovery, and decommissioning activities 

to ensure the adequate protection of public 

health and safety and the environment. 

2. Continue to oversee the safe operation of existing 

plants while preparing for and managing the 

review of applications for new power reactors.

3. Conduct NRC safety, security, and emergency 

preparedness programs in an integrated manner.

4. Improve the NRC’s regulatory programs and apply 

safety-focused research to anticipate and 

resolve safety issues. 

5. Use sound science and state-of-the-art methods 

to establish, where appropriate, risk-informed 

and performance-based regulations. 

6. Promote focused attention on safety matters 

and individual accountability of those engaged 

in regulated activities.

7. Use domestic and international operating 

experience to inform decisionmaking. 

Safety
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 

8. Oversee licensee safety performance through 

inspections, investigations, enforcement, 

and performance assessment activities. 

9. Effectively respond to events at NRC-licensed 

facilities and other events of national interest, 

including maintaining and enhancing the NRC’s 

critical incident response and communication 

capabilities. 

Means to Support Safety Strategies

The NRC conducts a number of programs and initiatives 

to ensure adequate protection of public health and 

safety and the environment. The major programs 

include rulemaking, licensing, technical reviews 

and inspection, incident response and emergency 

preparedness, domestic and international information 

exchange and cooperation with the Agreement State 

program, and research programs. The NRC will 

conduct a number of programs and initiatives during 

this strategic planning period, including the following:

n Review licensing requests (e.g., new applications, 

amendments, renewals, terminations) to confirm that 

they provide an adequate margin of safety consistent 

with the agency’s rules and regulations. Conduct 

environmental reviews as appropriate to ensure that 

actions comply with the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969. [Supports Strategies 1 and 2.] 

n Implement, review, and refine the Reactor Oversight 

Process, the principal program for overseeing nuclear 

power plant operation, to better identify significant 

performance issues and to ensure that licensees 

take appropriate actions to maintain acceptable 

safety performance. [Supports Strategies 5 and 8.] 

n Implement, review, and refine materials oversight. 

[Supports Strategy 8.]

n Maintain qualified inspectors at nuclear power reactor 

and certain fuel cycle sites (resident inspectors), in 

the NRC’s four regional offices (regional inspectors 

and license examiners), and at the agency’s 

headquarters. [Supports Strategies 1, 6, and 8.] 

n Maintain the readiness and capabilities of the NRC 

Headquarters Operations Center and Regional 

Response Centers, which coordinate and monitor 

the agency’s response to incidents and reportable 

conditions and licensees’ actions to ensure safety 

at their facilities. [Supports Strategies 3, 5, and 9.] 

Patient prepared for Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan.
10 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

n Participate in emergency preparedness exercises 

that involve a wide array of Federal, State, local, 

and Tribal authorities and emergency response 

personnel, and use cooperative intergovernmental 

relationships to balance national response 

capabilities. [Supports Strategies 3, 6, and 9.] 

n Conduct a program for the identification and 

resolution of reactor, fuel cycle, materials, 

and radioactive waste generic issues. 

[Supports Strategies 2, 3, and 4.] 

n Establish and maintain stable and predictable 

regulatory programs and policies for all 

stakeholders. Verify that all new regulatory 

initiatives adhere to these programs and 

policies. [Supports Strategies 1, 2, and 6.] 

n Maintain an open, collaborative working environment 

that encourages all employees and contractors to 

raise safety issues and differing views without fear 

of retaliation. [Supports Strategies 1, 3, and 5.] 

n Maintain a safety framework of rules, regulatory 

guidance, and standard review plans that 

promotes licensee compliance with 

underlying safety principles and stakeholder 

understanding. [Supports Strategy 8.]

n Conduct research programs to identify, lead, and/or 

sponsor reviews that support the resolution of 

ongoing and future safety issues, including providing 

tools and expertise needed to support the NRC’s 

independent decisionmaking process. [Supports 

Strategies 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.] 

n Conduct prelicensing consultation and begin review 

of the potential application for the Yucca Mountain 

repository when it is received. [Supports 

Strategies 1 and 2.] 

n Complete technical reviews and inspections of 

new spent fuel dry storage systems and facilities 

for the safe and secure storage of spent fuel. 

Apply risk insights gained from spent fuel dry 

storage probabilistic risk assessment in these 

reviews and inspections in a manner consistent 

with the application of these insights in reactor 

regulation. [Supports Strategies 1 and 3.] 

n Test a representative spent fuel transportation 

package design under transportation accident 

conditions to verify package performance and 

modeling capability. [Supports Strategies 1 and 5.] 

n Conduct periodic reviews of Agreement State 

programs to ensure that they are adequate 

to protect public health and safety and the 

environment and are compatible with the NRC’s 

program. [Supports Strategies 2, 3, and 6.] 

n Work closely with the Agreement States to develop 

consistent, risk-informed processes to review event 

information and identify safety issues for materials 

licensees. [Supports Strategies 2, 3, and 6.] 

n Use the information from integrated safety 

analyses implementing a graded approach to 

monitor and respond to activities at fuel fabrication 

facilities. Use the lessons learned from these 

analyses to develop more risk-informed oversight 

programs. [Supports Strategies 1 and 4.] 

n Assess the key issues affecting the safe 

management of civilian low-level radioactive 

storage and waste disposal to facilitate planning 

so that potential disruption in access to the three 

licensed disposal sites does not adversely affect 

licensees’ ability to operate and decommission their 

facilities safely. [Supports Strategies 1 and 6.] 

Safety
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 11

n Evaluate domestic and international operating 

events and trends for risk significance and 

generic applicability in order to improve 

NRC programs. [Supports Strategy 7.] 

n Work with international counterparts to exchange 

information, expertise, operating experiences, and 

ongoing research to recognize and respond to 

emerging technical issues and to promote 

best practices. Participate in the development 

and evaluation of international standards to 

ensure they are soundly based and determine 

whether substantial safety improvements can 

be identified and incorporated domestically. 

[Supports Strategies 5 and 7.] 

n Review and refine an enforcement framework that 

emphasizes the importance of compliance with 

regulatory requirements and encourages prompt 

identification and comprehensive correction of 

licensee violations. [Supports Strategy 8.]

The Director of NRC’s Office of New Reactors accepts a Combined License application for the North Anna site in Virginia.
12 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Security

Goal:

Ensure adequate protection in the 

secure use and management of 

radioactive materials.

Strategic Outcome

n Prevent any instances where licensed 

radioactive materials are used domestically 

in a manner hostile to the United States.

Discussion

The NRC must remain vigilant of the security of 

nuclear facilities and materials. The agency achieves 

its common defense and Security goal using licensing 

and oversight programs similar to those employed in 

achieving its safety goal. The aim is to allow licensees 

to realize the benefits of nuclear materials through 

their secure use, while at the same time placing only 

necessary regulatory requirements on those licensees.

The NRC also requires that licensees maintain 

controls over high-risk radiation sources and other 

risk-significant radioactive materials and successfully 

implement tracking and accounting systems. These 

systems help ensure that the radioactive materials used 

by licensees are stored and maintained securely.

Maintaining a stable and predictable security 

environment is one of the NRC’s major continuing 

challenges. It requires ensuring adequate security 

without unduly limiting the beneficial use of radioactive 

materials. To attain this balance, the NRC must upgrade 

its infrastructure for protecting and sharing classified 

and safeguards information, and for sharing sensitive 

information, as appropriate, with licensees, members 

of the public, and other Federal, State, local, and 

Tribal authorities and international stakeholders.

Another major task is implementing the authorities 

granted to the NRC in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

for enhancing the security of nuclear facilities and 

radioactive material. The NRC is in the process of 

completing rulemakings and other actions recommended 

by the multiagency Task Force on Radiation Source 

Protection and Security, which was established by 

this Act. In August 2006, the Task Force issued its 

first report containing recommendations for improving 

the security of radioactive sources. Subsequent 

reports are due not less than once every 4 years.

The NRC also has completed the process of identifying 

vulnerabilities at licensed facilities and developing 

strategies to mitigate those vulnerabilities. The agency 

is now working with licensees to implement those 

strategies. The design-basis threat is used to assess 

the level of threat against which licensees must 

realistically be expected to defend with high assurance.

The NRC also currently maintains its role in international 

activities related to the security of radioactive materials 

and facilities, including (1) contributing to the formulation 

of foreign policy guidance, (2) providing international 

assistance in nuclear security, material control and 

accounting, and safeguards, (3) reviewing applications 

and issuing import and export licenses for nuclear 

materials and equipment, and (4) cooperating with the 

International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organization 

for Economic Cooperation and Development’s 

Nuclear Energy Agency on nuclear safeguards, 

nonproliferation, and international regulatory standards. 

Security Goal Strategies

1. Use relevant intelligence information and security 

assessments to maintain realistic and effective 

security requirements and mitigation measures. 

2. Share security information with appropriate 

stakeholders and international partners. 
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 13

NRC Operations Center during an emergency planning exercise.

3. Oversee licensee security performance through 

inspections and force-on-force exercises. 

4. Control the handling and storage of sensitive security 

information and the communication of information 

to licensees and Federal, State, and local partners. 

5. Support Federal response plans that employ 

an approach to the security of nuclear facilities 

and radioactive material that integrates the efforts 

of licensees and Federal, State, local, and 

Tribal authorities. 

6. Use a risk-informed approach to implement 

appropriate regulatory controls for the 

possession, handling, import, export, and 

transshipment of radioactive materials. 

7. Enhance the programs to control of the 

security of radioactive sources and strategic 

special nuclear materials commensurate with 

their risk, including enhancements required 

by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

8. Promote U.S. national security interests and 

nuclear nonproliferation policy objectives for 

NRC-licensed imports and exports of source and 

special nuclear materials and nuclear equipment. 

Means to Support Security Strategies

To maintain the secure use and management of 

radioactive materials, the NRC conducts a number 

of programs and initiatives, including the following:

n Assess the threat environment to maintain 

an adequate regulatory framework, using 

new information from domestic research and 

cooperative research programs with international 

partners. [Supports Strategies 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8.] 

n Conduct inspections to assess licensees’ 

security performance. The NRC will conduct 

followup reviews, inspections, or investigations 

as needed when security problems are 

identified. [Supports Strategies 2, 3, and 6.] 

n On a 3-year cycle, conduct security performance 

evaluations at each applicable nuclear facility to 

assess each licensee’s protective strategy 

capabilities and to evaluate support functions 

provided by Federal, State, and local law 

enforcement and emergency planning officials for 

each licensee. [Supports Strategies 1, 3, 4, and 5.] 

n As necessary, conduct security assessments and 

determine the consequences of a range of threats 

against existing safety, safeguards, and security 

requirements. The NRC will share the results with 

Federal partners to support an integrated national 

posture for protecting of the Nation’s critical 

infrastructure. [Supports Strategies 1, 4, and 5.] 

n Work with the Homeland Security Council, the 

Department of Homeland Security, and the 

intelligence community to define, develop, and 

implement integrated security response plans and 
14 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

the National Response Plan, which incorporates 

Federal, State, local, and Tribal government 

assets. [Supports Strategies 4, 5, and 8.] 

n Work with States on safety and security measures 

related to NRC- and State-licensed facilities and 

activities within their borders. [Supports 

Strategies 4 and 5.] 

n Collaborate with the DOE, Department of Homeland 

Security, and other agencies and State governments 

to develop and implement a national registry of 

radioactive sources. Improve the controls on highrisk radioactive materials, including enhancements 

required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and 

recommended by the Task Force on Radiation 

Source Protection and Security, to prevent their 

harmful use. [Supports Strategies 1, 4, 6, and 7.] 

n Continue to support and participate in 

international security activities, including 

support of International Atomic Energy Agency 

nonproliferation initiatives and bilateral physical 

security initiatives undertaken with countries that 

receive special nuclear materials and equipment 

from the United States. [Supports Strategy 8.]

n Identify and obtain access to critical electronic 

channels of security information maintained by 

other Federal agencies to ensure that the NRC 

and its licensees maintain a current awareness 

of potential threats to licensed facilities and 

activities. [Supports Strategies 1 and 4.] 

n Identify and develop key information technology 

investments, including secure electronic document 

and records management capabilities, that will 

enhance the storage, handling, and communication 

of sensitive security information both within and 

external to the agency. [Supports Strategy 4.] 

n Support U.S. Government goals to secure nuclear 

materials internationally through bilateral agreements 

to support material control and accounting 

programs. [Supports Strategies 2, 7, and 8.] 

Security

The Director of NRC’s Office of Nuclear Security and Incident 

Response discusses homeland security strategy.
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 15

South Texas Nuclear Generating Station, southwest of Bay City, Texas.
16 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Over the next several years, the NRC anticipates 

receiving license applications for the construction 

and operation of a number of nuclear power plants, 

nuclear materials facilities, and a geologic repository. 

In addition, the NRC expects an increase in the 

number of spent fuel shipments and applications 

to extend the licenses of operating reactors. These 

activities will generate a great deal of public interest. 

Stakeholders will have many opportunities to participate 

in the regulatory process before issuance of a license, 

construction permit, early site permit, design certification, 

or combined license. For this participation to be 

meaningful, stakeholders must have access to clear 

and understandable information about the NRC’s role, 

processes, activities, and decisionmaking. The NRC 

will engage in active communications with stakeholders 

to ensure mutual understanding and timely response. 

To continue its practice of communicating clearly and 

frequently on operating plant and materials activities, the 

NRC will hold meetings with the public or other external 

stakeholders both in the vicinity of nuclear facilities and 

at its headquarters and regional offices. In addition, 

documents and correspondence related to license 

renewals, license applications, and inspection findings, 

with the exception of certain security-related, proprietary, 

and other sensitive information, are made available 

through the agency’s public Web site at 

http://www.nrc.gov. The agency issues press releases 

when it receives license applications and announces 

public meetings, opportunities for hearings, and other 

avenues for public involvement. Copies of key documents 

and notifications are sent to Federal, State, local, and 

Tribal authorities; published in the Federal Register; 

and made available electronically on the NRC Web site. 

Librarians at the NRC’s Public Document Room are 

available to assist members of the public in accessing 

or obtaining copies of the agency’s public documents. 

To complement the agency’s public outreach activities, 

the NRC has an established process to respond to 

requests made under the Freedom of Information Act. 

NRC engineer is the focus of a Spanish-language 

interview on the nuclear licensing process.

Organizational Excellence

Objectives:

n Openness

n Effectiveness

n Operational Excellence

Openness

The NRC appropriately informs and involves stakeholders 

in the regulatory process.

Discussion

The NRC views nuclear regulation as the public’s 

business and, as such, believes it should be transacted 

as openly and candidly as possible to maintain and 

enhance the public’s confidence. Ensuring appropriate 

openness explicitly recognizes that the public must be 

informed about, and have a reasonable opportunity 

to participate meaningfully in, the NRC’s regulatory 

processes. At the same time the NRC must also control 

sensitive information so that security goals are met. 
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 17

Openness Strategies

1. Enhance awareness of the NRC’s independent 

role in protecting public health and safety, the 

environment, and the common defense and security. 

2. Provide accurate and timely information to the 

public about the NRC’s mission, regulatory 

activities, and performance and about the uses of, 

and risks associated with, radioactive materials.

3. Provide for fair, timely, and meaningful stakeholder 

involvement in NRC decisionmaking without 

disclosing classified, safeguards, proprietary, 

and sensitive unclassified information.

4. Communicate about the NRC’s role, processes, 

activities, and decisions in plain language

that is clear and understandable to the public.

5. Initiate early communication with stakeholders 

on issues of substantial interest. 

Effectiveness

NRC actions are high quality, efficient, timely, and 

realistic, to enable the safe and beneficial use of 

radioactive materials. 

Discussion

The NRC anticipates a significant increase in agency 

workload over the next several years. The increase 

is coming at a time when initiatives such as the 

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

continue to challenge Federal agencies to become 

more effective and efficient and to justify their budget 

requests with demonstrated program results. 

The concept of effectiveness applies to all levels 

of the agency, from individual actions to programs 

and agencywide initiatives. At the program level, for 

example, effectiveness refers to the degree of success 

in achieving program goals and requires careful 

alignment with intended program results to ensure 

that the right work is being performed by the right 

people. With respect to the next generation of nuclear 

reactors, effectiveness refers to the scope and technical 

sufficiency of the application review. The NRC’s ability 

to conduct effective application reviews relies on a 

variety of strategies and activities, described below. 

Efficiency refers to timeliness, productivity, quality, 

and cost characteristics that together define how 

economically an activity or process is performed. The 

NRC recognizes that the efficiency of the agency’s 

regulatory processes is important to the regulated 

community and other stakeholders, including Federal, 

State, local, and Tribal authorities and the public. The 

timeliness of the application review can be increased 

without compromising safety and security, provided 

industry submits complete, high-quality applications.

While the NRC will never compromise safety and security 

for increased efficiency, the agency works to improve the 

efficiency of its regulatory processes wherever possible. 

Effectiveness Strategies

1. Use state-of-the-art technologies and risk insights 

to improve the effectiveness and realism of NRC 

actions, with a goal of continuous improvement. 

Public meeting in Mississippi on the Grand Gulf early site 

permit application.
18 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

2. Provide clear and timely guidance to applicants and 

licensees to foster the submittal of high-quality and 

timely applications or license amendment requests.

3. Reach high-quality and timely decisions.

4. Cooperate with Federal agencies, States, and Tribal 

authorities and international counterparts to gain 

insights and effectively resolve issues to enable the 

safe and beneficial use of radioactive materials. 

5. Work with stakeholders to minimize regulatory 

or jurisdictional overlap. 

6. Anticipate challenges and promptly evaluate 

and respond to changes in the regulatory 

and technical environment. 

7. Continue to improve the NRC’s regulatory 

and communication programs.

8. Achieve efficiencies in the licensing process 

that enable the safe and secure use of 

nuclear material. 

Operational Excellence

NRC operations use effective business 

methods and solutions to achieve excellence 

in accomplishing the agency’s mission.

Discussion

The NRC works to achieve operational excellence 

in all agency programs and processes. Operational 

excellence is primarily achieved through effective 

leadership in providing timely, high-quality information 

management and information technology; hiring 

and retaining knowledgeable and skilled staff; and 

providing accurate and timely financial information.

Timely, high-quality information is critical to the 

achievement of the NRC’s safety and security mission. 

The NRC’s information technology/information 

management systems and services must work 

effectively to deliver that information to all participants 

in the regulatory process, including internal and 

external stakeholders. In addition, information 

technology continues to offer significant opportunities 

for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of NRC 

operations. For additional information, see the NRC 

Information Technology/Information Management 

Strategic Plan, available at http://www.nrc.gov.

The NRC’s workforce possesses detailed knowledge and 

specialized technical skills that enable the agency to fulfill 

its mission. To maintain this expertise and respond to 

emerging needs, the NRC will need to continue to build 

its human capital in diverse areas. The individuals hired 

with these skills will achieve their greatest effectiveness 

when they are appropriately deployed, fully engaged 

in fulfilling the NRC’s mission requirements, provided 

appropriate training as needed, and recognized for their 

performance. The NRC is dedicated to maintaining its 

technical excellence and regulatory process proficiency 

now and in the future through a strategic approach to 

training, development, and knowledge management. 

As the agency evolves its knowledge management 

program into the future, the program will adopt a 

comprehensive, integrated lifecycle approach to 

organizational learning and knowledge management. 

For additional information, see the NRC Strategic 

Human Capital Plan, available at http://www.nrc.gov. 

Accurate and timely financial information is another 

component of operational excellence and is critical 

to enabling agency managers to achieve the NRC’s 

safety and security goals while efficiently using 

resources. Quality financial information enhances 

the effectiveness of agency managerial decisions 

and has the potential to reduce the fees borne by 

licensees, as well as the public’s tax burden. 

Organizational Excellence 
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 19

Operational Excellence Strategies 

1. Strengthen accountability for setting and 

achieving individual and organizational 

performance expectations and for providing 

timely and comprehensive feedback.

2. Reward safety-conscious actions and improve 

communication throughout the organization to 

support a culture of openness, trust, and innovation. 

3. Improve support services to make them more 

efficient and make it easier to accomplish 

agency goals.

4. Manage agency information and employ information 

technology to improve the productivity, effectiveness, 

and efficiency of agency programs and enhance 

the availability and usefulness of information 

to all users inside and outside the agency.

5. Use innovative strategies to recruit, develop, and 

retain a high-quality, diverse workforce. 

6. Continue to foster a work environment that is free 

of discrimination and provides maximum 

opportunities for all employees to use their diverse 

talents in support of the NRC’s mission and goals. 

7. Sustain a learning environment that provides 

continuing improvement in performance through 

knowledge management, performance feedback, 

training, coaching, and mentoring.

8. Ensure that the NRC has the appropriate physical 

facilities to ensure regulatory effectiveness and 

operational efficiency.

9. Provide accurate, timely, and useful financial 

information to agency managers for effective 

decisionmaking.

Chairman Dale E. Klein at the ceremony to recognize NRC as the 2007 Best Place to Work in the Federal Government.
20 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Appendix A: Key External 

Factors

The NRC’s ability to achieve its goals depends on 

a changing mix of industry operating experience, 

national priorities, market forces, and availability 

of resources. A process for managing change 

should continue to be refined and implemented to 

ensure that the NRC is ready to address changing 

priorities in a timely manner. This appendix discusses 

significant external factors, all of which are beyond 

the control of the NRC but could have an impact on 

the agency’s ability to achieve its strategic goals.

Receipt of New Reactor License Applications

A resurgence of interest in new nuclear power plants is 

leading to intense competition for qualified individuals 

to serve as technical staff for both the NRC and 

its licensees and as nuclear power plant operating 

personnel. Increasing turnover and competition for 

qualified staff, as well as the loss of expertise as 

older members of the workforce retire, will remain 

an NRC challenge for the next several years. 

Significant Operating Incident 

(Domestic or International)

A significant incident at a licensed nuclear facility could 

cause the agency to reassess its safety and security 

requirements, which could change the agency’s focus 

on some initiatives related to its goals until the situation 

stabilizes. Because the NRC’s stakeholders (including 

the public) are highly sensitive to many issues regarding 

the use of radioactive materials, events of relatively minor 

safety or security significance could potentially require a 

response that consumes considerable agency resources.

Significant Terrorist Incident

A significant terrorist incident anywhere in the United 

States would heighten the NRC’s oversight and 

response stance. Subsequent new or changed security 

requirements or other policy decisions might affect 

the NRC, its partners, and the industry it regulates. 

A significant terrorist incident at a nuclear facility or 

activity anywhere in the world that departs from the 

agency’s evaluation of threat parameters could result 

in impacts on the NRC’s priorities and potentially in 

U.S. policy regarding export activities, the NRC’s role in 

international security, and/or requirements for security at 

U.S. nuclear power plants and other licensee facilities. 

Emergency Preparedness and 

Incident Response

Emergency preparedness and incident response 

activities with Federal, State, local, and Tribal authorities 

continue to increase in scope and number. This 

affects the agency’s priorities and workloads. 

Timing of a Department of Energy Application 

for the High-Level Waste Repository at 

Yucca Mountain and Related Activities 

The licensing of the proposed repository for spent 

nuclear fuel represents a major effort for the NRC in 

planning, review, analysis, and ultimate decisionmaking. 

DOE has indicated that it intends to submit a license 

application for a high-level waste repository by June 

2008. The timing of the DOE actions will heavily 

influence the NRC’s resource allocation decisions 

over the next several years. Acceleration or delay in 

the DOE activities may affect other programs that are 

directly associated with achieving the agency’s goals. 

Appendices
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 21

Legislative Initiatives

Legislative initiatives under consideration by the 

Congress can have a major impact on the NRC. For 

example, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 has greatly 

affected the agency’s priorities and workload. Increasing 

interest in diversified sources of energy and energy 

independence is leading to an expected increase in 

license applications for nuclear power plants. The 

attendant increase in resources devoted to license 

review and analysis is affecting how the agency goes 

about achieving its goals for this planning period.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Development

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership has been 

proposed by the DOE as a means to recycle (reprocess) 

nuclear fuel using proliferation-resistant technologies to 

recover more energy and reduce waste. The impacts 

on the NRC could include developing the licensing 

requirements for, and then licensing, commercial 

reprocessing facilities, advanced burner reactors, and 

associated storage and waste facilities. The scope 

and schedule of NRC activities are uncertain. 

Appendix B: Planned 

Program Evaluations 

Operator Licensing Program 

Expected Completion Dates: FY 2008, FY 2009, 

FY 2010, FY 2011, FY 2012, FY 2013

Objective: The annual evaluation of the Operator 

Licensing Program ensures that the program is 

effective and consistently implements the requirements 

in 10 CFR Part 55, the guidance in NUREG-1021, 

“Operator Licensing Examination Standards for 

Power Reactors,” and other policy documents. 

Scope: The annual evaluation of the Operator Licensing 

Program audits one or two written examinations and 

operating tests in each Region to ensure consistent 

quality, level of difficulty, administration, and grading. The 

evaluation also includes a detailed review of the operator 

licensing function in two regional offices each year, 

with each region performing a similar self-assessment 

during the alternate years. The detailed reviews 

assess seven functional areas, including administrative 

requirements, written examinations, operating tests, 

requalification program oversight, regional operations, 

licensing assistant activities, and resource utilization.

Reactor Oversight Program 

Expected Completion Dates: FY 2008, FY 2009, 

FY 2010, FY 2011, FY 2012, FY 2013

Objectives: The annual Reactor Oversight Program 

evaluation has two objectives—(1) to determine 

whether the ongoing program is effective in 

supporting the achievement of the performance 

goals and the agency’s Strategic Plan goals, 

and (2) to provide timely, objective information to 

inform program planning and improvements.

Scope: At minimum, the evaluation will include (1) the 

efficiency of the agency’s baseline inspection program, 
22 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

(2) the effectiveness of the significance determination 

process, (3) the usefulness of current performance 

indicators for enhancing agency planning and 

response, and (4) the effectiveness of the assessment 

program to prescribe appropriate regulatory oversight 

to those plants with performance deficiencies. 

Management Work Planning Process 

Expected Completion Date: FY 2008

Objective: The evaluation of the work planning process 

within the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation is 

intended to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of 

the planning process to better serve the office’s workload 

management needs. The primary scope is to conduct an 

effectiveness review of the office’s work planning process 

by (1) assessing the current services provided by the 

work planning center, (2) developing recommendations 

on adding, deleting or modifying current services 

aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of 

the workload management services, (3) developing 

recommendations as to what processes should be 

included under the auspices of the centralized work 

planning program, and (4) developing recommended 

steps to improve the information technology systems 

that support the work planning process.

Scope: The project includes the evaluation of the 

work planning process; the evaluation is intended 

to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the 

planning process to better serve the Office of Nuclear 

Reactor Regulation’s workload management needs.

Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation 

Program Reviews of Selected NRC Regional Offices 

Expected Completion Date: Region IV in FY 2009

Objective: Each Program Evaluation will determine 

whether the regional offices are conducting programs 

that meet the objectives set out in Management 

Directive 5.6, “Integrated Materials Performance 

Evaluation Program (IMPEP).” 

Scope: The evaluations will include performance criteria 

(technical staffing and training, status of the Materials 

Inspection Program, technical quality of inspections, 

technical quality of licensing actions, and technical 

quality of responses to incidents and allegations) that 

are common to all regions as well as appropriate 

criteria for region-specific activities and responsibilities. 

The evaluation will be conducted in accordance with 

Management Directive 5.6 and the implementing 

procedures. The findings and report will be finalized 

after evaluation by the Management Review Board. Any 

recommendations or good practices will be factored into 

future activities for all of the regional materials programs. 

Fuel Cycle Licensing and Inspection Program

Expected Completion Date: FY 2009

Objective: The fuel cycle licensing and inspection program 

provides regulatory oversight for fuel cycle facilities 

in the areas of safety, safeguards and environmental 

protection. Findings from previous Program Assessment 

Rating Tool reviews for the Fuel Cycle Licensing and 

Inspection Program were used to strengthen the 

alignment of program performance measures with 

the agency’s strategic outcomes, as well as to better 

demonstrate contributions of program activities and 

outputs. Ongoing efforts are being implemented to 

develop independent assessments to validate and 

confirm that the program objectives are continuing 

to be met in an efficient and effective manner. 

Scope: The effort will focus on independent reviews to 

assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the Fuel Cycle 

Licensing and Inspection Program. 

Appendices

22
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 23

Appendix c: Glossary

Agreement State: a State that has signed an agreement 

with the NRC providing for the State to regulate 

the use of certain radioactive materials within its 

borders and the discontinuance of Federal authority 

in that State (does not apply to the regulation 

of operating commercial nuclear reactors).

Defense in Depth: an element of the NRC’s Safety 

Philosophy that employs successive compensatory 

measures to prevent accidents or lessen the effects 

of damage if a malfunction or accident occurs at a 

nuclear facility. The NRC’s safety philosophy ensures 

that the public is adequately protected and that 

emergency plans surrounding a nuclear facility are well 

conceived and will work. Moreover, the philosophy 

ensures that safety will not be wholly dependent 

on any single element of the design, construction, 

maintenance, or operation of a nuclear facility. 

Design-Basis Threat: a profile of the type, composition, 

and capabilities of an adversary. The NRC and 

its licensees use the design-basis threat as a 

basis for designing safeguards systems to protect 

against acts of radiological sabotage and to 

prevent the theft of special nuclear materials. 

Diversity Management: The goal of diversity management 

is to enable all employees to reach their full potential 

in pursuit of the organization’s mission. This includes 

fostering an environment where diversity is commonplace 

and enhances execution of the agency’s objectives. 

Effectiveness: ability to achieve the intended outcome(s) 

of an activity, program, or process. A program 

cannot be considered effective if it is not meeting its 

objectives and achieving the intended outcome(s).

Efficiency: the ability to act with a minimum of waste, 

expense, or unnecessary effort. Efficiency embodies a 

combination of productivity, cost, timeliness, and quality. 

High-Level Waste: the highly radioactive materials that 

are produced as byproducts of the reactions that 

occur inside nuclear reactors. Such wastes take 

one of two forms, becoming either spent (used) 

reactor fuel when it is accepted for disposal or waste 

materials that remain after spent fuel is reprocessed. 

Low-Level Waste: items that have become contaminated 

with radioactive material or have become radioactive 

through exposure to neutron radiation. This waste 

typically consists of contaminated protective shoe 

covers and clothing, wiping rags, mops, filters, reactor 

water treatment residues, equipment and tools, 

luminous dials, medical swabs, injection needles, 

and syringes. The radioactivity can range from just 

above background levels found in nature to very high 

levels found in certain cases (such as parts from 

inside the reactor vessel in a nuclear power plant).

Package: the assembly of components and radioactive 

contents, as presented for transport, that is necessary 

to ensure compliance with the requirements of 

10 CFR Part 71. 

Performance-Based: an approach to regulatory practice 

that establishes performance and results as the primary 

bases for decisionmaking. Performance-based 

regulations have the following attributes: (1) measurable, 

calculable or objectively observable parameters exist or 

can be developed to monitor performance; (2) objective 

criteria exist or can be developed to assess performance; 

(3) licensees have flexibility to determine how to meet the 

established performance criteria in ways that will 

encourage and reward improved outcomes; and 

(4) a framework exists or can be developed in 

which the failure to meet a performance criterion, 

while undesirable, will not in and of itself constitute 

or result in an immediate safety concern.

Program Assessment Rating Tool: an instrument 

used by the Office of Management and Budget to 

inform budgeting decisions, support management, 

identify design problems, and promote 

performance measurement and accountability.
24 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Regulatory Framework: several interrelated aspects such 

as (1) the NRC’s mandate from the Congress in the 

form of enabling legislation, (2) the NRC’s licenses, 

orders, and regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations, (3) regulatory guides, review plans, and 

other documents that clarify and guide the application 

of NRC requirements that amplify those regulations, 

(4) the licensing and inspection procedures used by 

NRC employees, and (5) enforcement guidance.

Risk Assessment: a systematic method for addressing 

the three questions as they relate to the performance 

of a particular system, including the human 

component—“What can go wrong?” “How likely 

is it?” and, “What are the consequences?” 

Risk Insights: the results and findings that come 

from risk assessments. They may include 

improved understanding of the likelihood of 

possible outcomes, sensitivity of the results to key 

assumptions, relative importance of the various 

system components and their potential interactions, 

and the areas and magnitude of the uncertainties.

Risk-Informed: an approach to decisionmaking in 

which risk insights are considered along with other 

factors such as engineering judgment, safety limits, 

and redundant and/or diverse safety systems. Such 

an approach is used to establish requirements that 

better focus licensee and regulatory attention on 

design and operational issues commensurate with 

their importance to public health and safety. 

Spent Fuel: fuel that has been removed from a 

nuclear reactor because it can no longer sustain 

power production for economic or other reasons.

Stakeholders: members of the public, Federal, State, local, 

and Tribal authorities, and licensees with a specific 

interest in a given topic.

Standards: technical requirements and recommended 

practices for the performance of any device, apparatus, 

system, or phenomenon associated with a specific field. 

Yucca Mountain Repository: a proposed underground facility 

at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for the permanent disposal 

of high-level waste produced from nuclear power plants 

and the Nation’s nuclear weapons production activities.

Appendices
Strategic Plan Fiscal years 2008–2013 25

Dry casks for spent fuel are transported and placed on a concrete pad at a nuclear plant site.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET

(See instructions on the reverse)

NRC FORM 335

(9-2004)

NRCMD 3.7

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1. REPORT NUMBER

(Assigned by NRC, Add Vol., Supp., Rev.,

 and Addendum Numbers, if any.)

NUREG-1614, Vol. 4

3. DATE REPORT PUBLISHED

MONTH

February

YEAR

2008

4. FIN OR GRANT NUMBER

n/a

2. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Strategic Plan

Fiscal Years 2008–2013

5. AUTHOR(S)

Tammy Trocki, et. al

6. TYPE OF REPORT

Triennial

7. PERIOD COVERED (Inclusive Dates)

Fiscal Years 2008—2013

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION - NAME AND ADDRESS (If NRC, provide Division, Office or Region, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and mailing address; if contractor,

Resource Management and Support Staff

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION - NAME AND ADDRESS (If NRC, type "Same as above"; if contractor, provide NRC Division, Office or Region, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 

Same as 8, above

provide name and mailing address.)

and mailing address.)

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

11. ABSTRACT (200 words or less)

The Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2008–2013 describes the NRC's mission and establishes the Commission's strategic direction by

defining the strategic goals and outcomes the agency intends to pursue.

12. KEY WORDS/DESCRIPTORS (List words or phrases that will assist researchers in locating the report.)

Strategic Plan

Fiscal Years 2008–2013

FY 2008–FY2013

Mission

Goals

Outcomes

14. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

13. AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

unlimited

(This Page)

unclassified

(This Report)

unclassified

15. NUMBER OF PAGES

16. PRICE

NRC FORM 335 (9-2004) PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555-0001
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NUREG-1614, Vol. 4 

February 2008