Abstract

The regulation and safety oversight of the use of nuclear energy and radioactive materials in the United States is the responsibility of two Federal agencies.  The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses and oversees civilian nuclear power plants and non-power nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel production, nuclear waste storage and disposal, and academic, industrial and medical uses of radioactive materials (except for medical x-rays).  However, the NRC is, in general, not responsible for facilities that are owned by and operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  Rather, DOE is responsible for both safety oversight and operation of those facilities, most of which are not reactors, but involve the handling, storage, and/or disposal of radioactive materials.  Some of those facilities are associated with civilian uses of nuclear technology, but many of them are operated as part of the U.S’s nuclear weapons program.  This presentation will include regulations re: SMRs and Fusion facilities, a broad overview of the NRC’s origins, structure, and regulatory activities, with an emphasis on nuclear reactor regulation.  The development and implementation of DOE’s nuclear safety oversight policies and procedures will also be discussed.  

Bio

Over a 40 year career with leadership roles in industry, and government, Dr. Alan Levin has served as Senior Advisor to the USNRC Chairman, as DOE’s Nuclear Safety R&D program manager, and Senior Consultant in the nuclear industry for design certification of advanced reactors and fuel reprocessing facilities.

Prior to serving at NRC and DOE, Dr. Levin has also served as an academic at Georgia Tech.’s Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics program, and as research staff at DOE’s ORNL working on fast breeder reactors alongside DOE/EPRI’s national breeder program office.  a faculty member in the Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics Program at Georgia Tech.  

Dr Levin holds Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Doctor of Science (fission reactor engineering) degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He is a licensed Professional Engineer in nuclear engineering and a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society.  He retired from full-time work in 2019 and currently serves as a consultant on a range of nuclear-power-related issues.