IP Implications of NRC’s Proposed New Fast Lane for Licensing Reactor Designs Previously Approved by DOE or DOD

On April 2, 2026, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposed a rule to streamline commercial licensing of reactor designs already authorized by the Department of Energy (DOE) or Department of Defense (DOD), as reported in NuclearNewswire. According to the NRC, the proposed rule “would improve NRC licensing review efficiency, where applicable, by explicitly establishing by regulation and additional means for reactor applicants to demonstrate...... By: Knobbe Martens