Did you know that by the end of 2010, the NRC had received 18 combined operating license applications to build and operate 28 new reactors? Or that the NRC has issued design certifications for four reactor designs that can be referenced in an application for a nuclear power plant – three from Westinghouse and one from General Electric-Hitachi?
And did you know that NRC inspectors began overseeing construction activities at Georgia’s Vogtle nuclear power plant in 2010 or that the NRC conducts oversight of manufacturers and suppliers of safety-related components to ensure they comply with quality assurance and defect reporting requirements?
The answers to these questions and much more can be found in the first-ever annual review for the NRC’s Office of New Reactors (NRO). The review allows you to keep up with what the agency’s doing with regard to new reactors.
Available in print form and online on the agency’s public web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/brochures/br0476, the annual review is an easy-to-read and informative 40-page publication.
The review includes sections on the office’s three main areas of focus, new reactor licensing, construction oversight and the agency’s Advanced Reactor Program. In addition, the review features an “International Cooperation” section, as well as an “Overview” summary and “A Look Ahead” write-up. It concludes with “At a Glance,” an organizational summary of divisions within the office, their branches and responsibilities.
The publication is complete with photos of NRO employees at work, illustrations of state-of-the-art technology, charts and other graphics. Requests for print copies of the review can be sent to: opa.resource@nrc.gov .
Bob Jasinski Senior New Reactors Communications Specialist
U.S. NRC Blog 
For me its a cause and affect terminology, getting more licenses to build these reactors is one thing, but what will NRO do to contain them if they are built that won’t cause some adverse effect to surrounding communities.
Are there any additional combined operating licenses that NRO is expected to receive in 2011? How long is the process for the granting of the combined operating license and when would it be likely that the first licenses would be granted of those that have been submitted if they are approved?