Newcleo sets out plan for US licensing of reactor

The company said the Regulatory Engagement Plan (REP) sets out the proposed framework for its pre-application engagement with NRC staff in support of the future licensing of the LFR-AS-200. It provides an overview of the company's proposed licensing approach and an indicative schedule for technical submissions and interactions with the NRC.

"This submission to the NRC reflects years of dedicated research and engineering behind the LFR-AS-200," said Newcleo CEO Stefano Buono. "Lead-cooled fast reactor technology offers a uniquely safe and efficient path to clean, reliable energy, and we look forward to a constructive dialogue with the NRC as we advance toward licensing."

To support the development and licensing of its reactor technology, Newcleo has established an extensive international research and development programme, in collaboration with national laboratories in Italy, France and Japan.

"The programme provides a robust experimental foundation for the reactor's safety case and future licensing application," the company said. "Through purpose-built research facilities, Newcleo conducts physical testing of lead-cooling technologies, materials, components and reactor systems under representative conditions. The resulting experimental data are used to validate safety calculations and computational models, support materials qualification, and demonstrate the performance of key engineering solutions. This combination of advanced modelling and direct experimental evidence strengthens the technical basis for Newcleo's engagement with the NRC."

The LFR-AS-200 is a 200 MWe lead-cooled fast reactor designed to provide stable, low-carbon electricity and process heat for industrial users, including data centres, hydrogen production facilities, cement and steel manufacturers.

The reactor uses lead as a coolant, combining inherent safety features with efficient energy conversion and a compact plant footprint. It is designed to operate using Newcleo's proprietary mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, produced from recovered or surplus nuclear materials. By pairing a fast-neutron spectrum with MOX fuel, Newcleo says its proposed technology enables the conversion of legacy nuclear materials and used nuclear fuel into clean, reliable, and competitively priced energy, while reducing the final volume and radiotoxicity of used nuclear fuel.

In March, Newcleo announced it had initiated pre‑application engagement with the NRC to support the future licensing of its first lead-cooled fast reactor and an associated MOX fuel fabrication facility in the USA. Following the submission of a letter of intent to the NRC on 23 February, Newcleo began early interactions with the NRC that are intended to familiarise NRC staff with the proposed facility designs and associated safety approaches for both the reactor and the MOX fuel fabrication facility. These discussions also support the development of regulatory plans and facilitate NRC resource and budget planning, it said.