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DEC has regs out for microreactor siting
Comments on draft regulations are due by May 11; US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issues license or permit for the microreactor Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has draft regulations for the siting of microreactors out for public comment, with comments due by May 11.
A license or permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is required for a microreactor, DEC said in a March 9 press release, along with a siting permit from DEC and approval from the municipality or borough where there is local jurisdiction, or from the Legislature if the site is in an unorganized borough.
“In preparation for future commercial use of this sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy resource, DEC is developing regulatory requirements to provide our communities with the information they need to explore clean energy options for use at the local level,” DEC Commissioner Jason Brune said in a March 9 statement.
DEC said the regulations were drafted in support of the governor’s Office of Energy Innovation and in response to the U.S. Air Force Microreactor Pilot Program, expected to have the first microreactor operational at Eielson Air Force Base by the end of 2027.
Microreactors Microreactors are small nuclear reactors which can operate independently of an electric grid, producing roughly 1 to 50 megawatts, DEC said. Most of the small reactors are factory assembled and the reactor core transported to the site as a pre-fueled and sealed module which acts as a nuclear battery and provides energy for up to a decade without requiring refueling.
“Microreactors will be transformative for Alaska,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “They can deliver clean, safe, carbon free energy in areas on and off the road system. The draft regulations are an important step to revolutionizing energy production in our state.”
Draft regulations DEC said its role is solely in the siting of a microreactor facility, with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission addressing licensing, construction, operation, safety and security.
The draft regulations begin with a pre-application requirement: at least 120 days before submitting an application a preliminary application is required including a fact sheet describing the proposed facility, with publication required and certified mail delivery to DEC and the municipality with jurisdiction or - if the facility is in an unorganized borough - to the Legislature and the mayor of the nearest municipality.
Once the pre-application requirements are completed, a completed application is submitted to DEC including a copy of an early site permit granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Upon receiving a complete application DEC will make a preliminary decision to issue or deny a permit and if it decides to issue a permit, DEC will prepare a draft permit and make it available for public comment.
DEC will request approval or denial of the draft permit from the municipality where the facility is to be sited, or from the Legislature if the proposed site is in an unorganized borough. The draft regulations include numerous location requirements for siting of a microreactor facility.
There will be a 30-day public comment period on the draft permit.
If DEC approves the application it will issue a facility siting permit. It may terminate a siting permit for any false statement in the application or materials submitted “when a true answer would have warranted a denial of the permit” or for failure to comply with terms or conditions of the siting permit.
The draft regulations are available on DEC’s website (https://dec.alaska.gov/) under public notices.
- KRISTEN NELSON
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