Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Challenges Facing NRC in Effectively Carrying Out Its Mission

The NRC has the regulatory responsibility to ensure that the nation¿s 103 commercial nuclear power plants are operated in a safe and secure manner. Safety issues have arisen that threaten the credibility of NRC¿s regulation and oversight. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 focused attention on the security of commercial nuclear power plants, while safety concerns were heightened by shutdown of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant in 2002, and the discovery of missing or unaccounted for spent nuclear fuel at 3 nuclear power plants. This testimony: summarizes audit findings as of 2005 and recommend. for improving NRC activities; and presents challenges NRC faces in being an effective and credible regulator of the nuclear power industry. Illustrations.