Revising radiation procedures unnecessary and costly, Nuclear Energy Institute says

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to abandon revising radiation protection procedures, saying current regulations are effective and that any changes would be costly, time-consuming and have no impact on employee safety.

“The nuclear industry’s current operating practices protect workers, the public, and the environment at a level far beyond what is required by the regulatory requirements,” NEI Senior Project Manager for Radiation and Materials Safety Ellen Anderson said in the comment letter this week.

Anderson cited the NRC’s report on “Occupational Radiation Exposure at Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors and Other Facilities” (NUREG-0713), which shows workers at licensed nuclear facilities receive only a fraction of the radiation dose allowable under agency requirements. The industry did offer ways to ways to minimize employee safety risks if the NRC decides to proceed with the changes.