In Germany, an accident at a prototype PBMR resulted in a release of radioactivity. The NRC has already streamlined the licensing procedure for new reactors, allowing developers to obtain licenses for construction and operation simultaneously. The NRC has also moved to remove the formal hearing process for consideration of license applications, effectively eliminating the ability of the public to raise safety concerns during the NRC licensing process. The nuclear industry is even using the exclusion of public intervention as a selling point for new reactors. According to Corbin McNeill Jr., chairman of Exelon, the reduction of public participation in the streamlined NRC approval process is critical to future nuclear construction hopes.
Interminable delays are a thing of the past.
The PBMR is neither new nor inherently safe. The design does not incorporate a containment structure or redundant emergency cooling features. Safety is predicated on lower operating temperatures and power density and the ability of carbon fuel cladding to prevent radioactive releases, rather than a containment structure. Despite limited operation of PBMR-type designs, accidents at reactors with the design have occurred. The fallout was significant enough to be initially blamed on the Chernobyl accident, which had occurred less than two weeks prior.