The NRC recently issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2025-02, which asks reactor licensees to voluntarily provide information about their plans for power-uprate licensing submittals. The NRC will use this information to set future budgets and project resource needs to review these anticipated applications. The anticipated spate of power uprates stems primarily from significant increases in power demand projections propelled by data centers, electrification, and other economic drivers. Although responses are voluntary, applicants who provide advance notice will receive priority in the NRC review process.
Background on Power Uprates
The NRC licenses nuclear power reactors to operate up to a maximum heat limit, or power level, measured in thermal megawatts. A plant’s maximum power level is a key input to many of the safety analyses the NRC requires to demonstrate plant safety. Thus, a power reactor licensee must obtain the NRC’s permission through a license amendment before it can increase the reactor’s maximum power level. In the United States, commercial reactors were designed with excess capacity for possible power uprates.
There are three types of power uprates:
- Measurement uncertainty recapture (MUR) uprates result from the improved measurement of feedwater flow to calculate reactor power. This type of uprate generally results in a maximum power increase of less than 2%.
- Stretch power uprates (SPU) involve changes to instrumentation settings and do not require major plant modifications. This type of uprate generally results in a maximum power increase between 2% and 7%.
- Extended power uprates (EPU) require significant modifications to major non-nuclear components such as high-pressure turbines, pumps, motors, generators and transformers. This type of power uprate can result in a maximum power increase of up to 20%.
Power uprates are a cost-effective way to generate more electricity from existing reactors. To date, the NRC has approved 172 uprates. Collectively, these uprates resulted in approximately 24,089 megawatts thermal of increased power output that resulted in another 8,030 megawatts of electricity generation, equivalent to about eight new large light water reactors.
NRC RIS Seeks Information Regarding Planned Power Uprate Applications
In RIS-2025-02, the NRC requested information from power reactors about planned license amendment requests for power uprates. Because reviewing these applications requires extensive technical evaluations, the NRC wants to ensure adequate financial and staff resources are available to process these applications. Thus, the NRC will use the information provided by licensees to “more accurately forecast the resources needed.”
The NRC is asking licensees to voluntarily provide information on the following:
- The type of power uprate to be requested
- The projected submittal date and requested completion date
- The planned requested power increase from current licensed thermal level in both megawatts thermal and as a percentage increase for current maximum licensed power
- Expected date for power ascension with uprated conditions
- Whether any other license amendments will be needed to support the power uprate
The NRC asked that licensees provide this information “within 90 days of receipt of this RIS.” If licensees received the RIS the same day it was issued (February 7, 2025), then licensees should respond by May 8, 2025. Responding to this RIS is voluntary, and licensees may request that the information be treated as nonpublic information. The NRC noted that the responses will be used as “the basis for allocating future technical resources.” In other words, applicants who respond will receive priority in NRC reviews, whereas those who file applications unannounced will be placed at the end of the queue.
How We Can Help
Our team has advised multiple reactor licensees on past power uprates (and other license amendments) and stands ready to assist the industry with the upcoming wave of uprate applications.