FY2019 NRC Fees Increased for Operating Reactors

The FY2019 annual fees are increasing for operating reactors, research and test reactors, and some materials users. Annual fees will decrease for spent fuel storage/reactor decommissioning, fuel facilities, select materials users, U.S. Department of Energy transportation activities, and the DOE Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act Program.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a rule changing some of the annual fees it will charge applicants and licensees for fiscal year 2019. The final fee rule includes fees required by law for the agency to recover approximately 90 percent of its annual budget authority.

For FY2019, NRC's required fee recovery amount, after accounting for fee-recovery exclusions, fee-relief activities, and net billing adjustments, is $782.5 million. Approximately $252.1 million will be recovered through fees for service and approximately $530.5 million will be recovered through annual fees, according to its news release.

The FY2019 annual fees are increasing for operating reactors, research and test reactors, and some materials users. Annual fees will decrease for spent fuel storage/reactor decommissioning, fuel facilities, select materials users, U.S. Department of Energy transportation activities, and the DOE Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act Program. The annual fee for the non-DOE uranium recovery licensee is unchanged.

The agency estimates the FY2019 annual fees will be paid by the licensees of 98 operating commercial power reactors, four research and test reactors, 122 spent nuclear fuel storage and decommissioning reactor facilities, seven fuel cycle facilities, one uranium recovery facility, and approximately 2,600 nuclear materials licensees.

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