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          Radioactive WasteDecommissioning of Nuclear Facilities
        On this page:

What We Regulate
	How We RegulateWhat We Regulate
The nuclear regulatory activities of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) include decommissioning nuclear facilities, which means safely removing a facility or site from service and reducing residual radioactivity to a level that permits either of the following actions:



Release the property for unrestricted use, and terminate the license.
	Release the property under restricted conditions, and terminate the license.The NRC and its Agreement States regulate the decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, with the ultimate goal of license termination. These currently include the following facilities:

Complex Materials Sites Undergoing Decommissioning
	Power Reactor Sites Undergoing Decommissioning
	Research and Test Reactor Sites Undergoing Decommissioning
	Uranium Recovery Sites Undergoing Decommissioning
	Fuel Cycle Facilities Undergoing DecommissioningApproximately 100 materials licenses are terminated each year. Most of these license terminations are routine, and the sites require little, if any, remediation to meet the NRC's criteria for unrestricted release.

For more information, see the Status of Decommissioning Program 2021 Annual Report and Sites Undergoing Decommissioning (by Location or Name).

How We Regulate
Decommissioning program activities include (1) developing regulations and guidance to assist staff and the regulated community; (2) conducting research to develop data, techniques, and models used to assess public exposure from the release of radioactive material resulting from site decommissioning; (3) reviewing and approving decommissioning plans (DPs) and license termination plans (LTPs); (4) reviewing and approving license amendment requests for decommissioning facilities; (5) inspecting licensed and non-licensed facilities undergoing decommissioning; (6) developing environmental assessments (EAs) and environmental impact statements (EISs) to support the NRC's reviews of decommissioning activities; (7) reviewing and approving final site status survey reports; and (8) conducting confirmatory surveys.



The NRC ensures that safety requirements are being met throughout the decommissioning process by reviewing decommissioning or license termination plans, conducting inspections, and monitoring the status of activities to ensure that radioactive contamination is reduced or stabilized.

What's New in Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities
	Regulations, Guidance, and Communications
	Process
	Financial Assurance
	Oversight of Materials and Reactors
	Public InvolvementThe NRC's decommissioning regulatory activities are coordinated by the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, & Waste Programs.

          
          Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, June 23, 2022
    
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    Related Information    What's New in Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities
	Regulatory Improvements for Production and Utilization Facilities Transitioning to Decommissioning
	Agency Activities in Response to a Portion of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act
	Cost Estimates for Decommissioning Licensing Actions
	Program Documents
	International Aspects
	Lessons Learned
	Fact Sheet: Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants
	Decommissioning (video)
	Frequently Asked Questions About Reactor Decommissioning
	Status of Complex Materials Sites
	Rulemaking
	Fuel Cycle Facilities
	Uranium Recovery
	Environmental Review Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs (NUREG-1748)
	Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants Brochure (NUREG/BR-0521)
	Vermont Yankee Decommissioning
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