Estimation of Cost Reductions From Risk Informed Radiation Standards

Radiation protection standards are embedded in nuclear power plant designs and are a driver of operational costs. Changes to these standards could reduce costs, while still providing ample margins for safety. Drawing on publicly available cost data, deployment scenarios, and expert elicitation, this analysis develops bounding estimates of how regulatory reform could translate into economic savings. By imposing undue costs, current radiation protection standards unnecessarily limit nuclear energy’s benefits to society, therefore failing the mandate given to the NRC by the ADVANCE Act.

Across a range of nuclear deployment scenarios through 2050, potential cost reductions for new nuclear construction range from $200 million to $40 billion, depending on the extent of reactor deployment and the degree to which designs are adapted to revised standards. Additional savings from the existing reactor fleet raise total potential savings to between $4 billion and $70 billion. These savings would accrue to plant operators, regulators, and, ultimately, consumers.

Such outcomes are not guaranteed. Realizing cost reductions depends on effective regulatory implementation, industry uptake, and a stable policy environment that encourages design optimization rather than regulatory over-compliance. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that modernizing radiation standards to better reflect actual risk could materially improve the economic competitiveness of nuclear energy while maintaining robust public and worker protection.