When a nuclear power plant shuts down for good, the process of decommissioning and transferring spent fuel from cooling pools to dry storage can take years and carries real safety risks. Right now, there's no requirement to keep a full-time federal inspector on site during that process. This bill would require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assign a resident inspector to every permanently closed nuclear plant for as long as spent fuel is still being moved out of the pools. Communities near decommissioning plants would gain an added layer of independent oversight.
Congressional Summary
Increasing Nuclear Safety Protocols for Extended Canister Transfers Act of 2025 or the INSPECT Act of 2025This bill requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assign a resident inspector to each commercial nuclear power plant that has permanently ceased operation. The inspector must (1) conduct inspections of decommissioning activities and spent nuclear fuel transfer activities, and (2) remain at the plant until all fuel is transferred from its spent fuel pools to dry storage.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-07-29
- Date Added
- 2026-04-06