42 USC § 2133 Commercial licenses | United States Code | US Law

42 USC § 2133

Commercial licenses

July 4, 2020

USC

(a) Conditions
The Commission is authorized to issue licenses to persons applying therefor to transfer or receive in interstate commerce, manufacture, produce, transfer, acquire, possess, use, import, or export under the terms of an agreement for cooperation arranged pursuant to section 2153 of this title, utilization or production facilities for industrial or commercial purposes. Such licenses shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of subchapter XV and subject to such conditions as the Commission may by rule or regulation establish to effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

(b) Nonexclusive basis
The Commission shall issue such licenses on a nonexclusive basis to persons applying therefor (1) whose proposed activities will serve a useful purpose proportionate to the quantities of special nuclear material or source material to be utilized; (2) who are equipped to observe and who agree to observe such safety standards to protect health and to minimize danger to life or property as the Commission may by rule establish; and (3) who agree to make available to the Commission such technical information and data concerning activities under such licenses as the Commission may determine necessary to promote the common defense and security and to protect the health and safety of the public. All such information may be used by the Commission only for the purposes of the common defense and security and to protect the health and safety of the public.

(c) License period
Each such license shall be issued for a specified period, as determined by the Commission, depending on the type of activity to be licensed, but not exceeding forty years from the authorization to commence operations, and may be renewed upon the expiration of such period.

(d) Limitations
No license under this section may be given to any person for activities which are not under or within the jurisdiction of the United States, except for the export of production or utilization facilities under terms of an agreement for cooperation arranged pursuant to section 2153 of this title, or except under the provisions of section 2139 of this title. No license may be issued to an alien or any any ¹ corporation or other entity if the Commission knows or has reason to believe it is owned, controlled, or dominated by an alien, a foreign corporation, or a foreign government. In any event, no license may be issued to any person within the United States if, in the opinion of the Commission, the issuance of a license to such person would be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.

(f) ² Accident notification condition; license revocation; license amendment to include condition
Each license issued for a utilization facility under this section or section 2134(b) of this title shall require as a condition thereof that in case of any accident which could result in an unplanned release of quantities of fission products in excess of allowable limits for normal operation established by the Commission, the licensee shall immediately so notify the Commission. Violation of the condition prescribed by this subsection may, in the Commission's discretion, constitute grounds for license revocation. In accordance with section 2237 of this title, the Commission shall promptly amend each license for a utilization facility issued under this section or section 2134(b) of this title which is in effect on June 30, 1980, to include the provisions required under this subsection.

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this Act", meaning act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, §1, 68 Stat. 919, known as the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2005—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–58 inserted "from the authorization to commence operations" after "forty years".

1980—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 96–295 added subsec. (f).

1970—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–560 struck out requirement of a finding of practical value under section 2132 and substituted "utilization and production facilities for industrial or commercial purposes" for "such type of utilization or production facility".

1956—Subsec. (a). Act Aug. 6, 1956, §12, inserted "use," after "possess,".

Subsec. (d). Act Aug. 6, 1956, §13, inserted "an alien or any" after "issued to".

Advanced Nuclear Reactor Program Licensing

Pub. L. 115–439, title I, §103(a), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5571, provided that:

"(1) Staged licensing.—For the purpose of predictable, efficient, and timely reviews, not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 14, 2019], the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission shall develop and implement, within the existing regulatory framework, strategies for—

"(A) establishing stages in the licensing process for commercial advanced nuclear reactors; and

"(B) developing procedures and processes for—

"(i) using a licensing project plan; and

"(ii) optional use of a conceptual design assessment.

"(2) Risk-informed licensing.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop and implement, where appropriate, strategies for the increased use of risk-informed, performance-based licensing evaluation techniques and guidance for commercial advanced nuclear reactors within the existing regulatory framework, including evaluation techniques and guidance for the resolution of the following:

"(A) Applicable policy issues identified during the course of review by the Commission of a commercial advanced nuclear reactor licensing application.

"(B) The issues described in SECY–93–092 and SECY–15–077, including—

"(i) licensing basis event selection and evaluation;

"(ii) source terms;

"(iii) containment performance; and

"(iv) emergency preparedness.

"(3) Research and test reactor licensing.—For the purpose of predictable, efficient, and timely reviews, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop and implement strategies within the existing regulatory framework for licensing research and test reactors, including the issuance of guidance.

"(4) Technology-inclusive regulatory framework.—Not later than December 31, 2027, the Commission shall complete a rulemaking to establish a technology-inclusive, regulatory framework for optional use by commercial advanced nuclear reactor applicants for new reactor license applications.

"(5) Training and expertise.—As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall provide for staff training or the hiring of experts, as necessary—

"(A) to support the activities described in paragraphs (1) through (4); and

"(B) to support preparations—

"(i) to conduct pre-application interactions; and

"(ii) to review commercial advanced nuclear reactor license applications.

"(6) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission to carry out this subsection $14,420,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024."

[For definitions of terms used in section 103(a) of Pub. L. 115–439, set out above, see section 3 of Pub. L. 115–439, set out as a note under section 2215 of this title.]

1 So in original. 2 So in original. Probably should be "(e)".

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