Click here for an archived PDF of the Q1 2026 email newsletter.
A note from our Chair
Hello TRTR Community!
As we open 2026, the nuclear research and training reactor community finds itself navigating one of the most consequential regulatory transformations in the NRC’s five-decade history. I want to take this opportunity to highlight the key developments you should be tracking as we move through the first quarter.
A New Commission, A New Direction
Ho Nieh was designated as the 20th Chairman of the NRC on January 8, 2026, succeeding David Wright. Chairman Nieh has signaled clearly that the agency is reshaping itself around speed and efficiency. The NRC has launched a major reorganization aimed at streamlining decision-making, consolidating functions, and aligning with national goals — driven explicitly by Executive Order 14300, which mandates structural realignment, regulatory revisions, and fixed licensing deadlines. For our community, this means the agency we interact with for licensing and oversight is changing in real time.
The Regulatory Tsunami: Part 53 and Beyond
The single most consequential rulemaking for the NRC remains 10 CFR Part 53. The NRC’s risk-informed, performance-based licensing framework under 10 CFR Part 53 — mandated by the 2019 Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act — is scheduled for final rule publication on March 27, 2026. While Part 53 is primarily oriented toward commercial advanced reactors, its performance-based philosophy will ripple through how regulators think about all reactor types, including ours. Members should review the final rule carefully and assess any downstream effects on existing licenses and facility operations.
Beyond Part 53, the NRC is executing more than two dozen rulemakings mandated by EO 14300, with a front-loaded wave of proposed rules scheduled between March and May 2026. Of particular relevance is the proposed rule on “Licensing Requirements for Microreactors and Other Low Consequence Reactors,” scheduled for March 23, 2026.
Enforcement Policy Revised
Effective February 27, 2026, the NRC published a revision to its Enforcement Policy incorporating multiple changes approved by the Commission. Members should review this update carefully for any changes that affect inspection findings, violations, and enforcement discretion at research and training facilities.
What to Watch This Quarter
Several milestones deserve close attention through March 2026: the final publication of 10 CFR Part 53 on March 27; the proposed microreactor licensing rule on March 23; the ongoing NRC reorganization and its effects on Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation staffing and workflows; and the NRC’s evolving coordination with DOE under the updated Memorandum of Understanding on advanced reactor authorization. I also encourage members to monitor EO 14300, which calls for much more substantive changes to the NRC’s structure, culture, and regulation, and has yet to be fully addressed by the regulator — meaning more significant near-term changes remain likely.
This is an extraordinary moment for our sector. Research and training reactors are not bystanders in this transformation — we are, in many ways, its proving ground. I encourage all members to engage in public comment processes and participate in upcoming workshops.
As always, feel free to reach out directly with questions or concerns. Thank you all for all of your support during 2025. This continues to be a time of growth for the community and there are many changes at the NRC. We are still awaiting what the restructure at the NRC will bring to the community. I encourage you to please continue to participate in the NRC’s quarterly calls.
Thank you,
Cameron Goodwin Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center
