The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing yesterday (June 25) to review current Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), David Wright, who was
nominated to serve another five-year term as a member of the NRC.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, opened the hearing. She noted that Chairman Wright has served as a member of the commission since 2018, and that President Donald Trump had designated him Chairman in January. She praised his experiences as providing the necessary background
and understanding to navigate the important and challenging task of simultaneously implementing the ADVANCE Act and the President’s Executive Orders while ensuring fundamental licensing activities are not overlooked.
Chair Capito asked Wright: “…as you select senior NRC leadership, how do you evaluate the respective candidate’s ability to lead, make decisions and inspire a culture change at the
NRC?”
Wright acknowledged that a large portion of the NRC’s workforce are retirement age, a fact the NRC has been aware of since before COVID. He stated that the NRC developed a Strategic Workforce Plan to address workforce concerns, and that ADVANCE Act has helped to assuage those concerns by granting the NRC additional hiring authorities.
Wright described his leadership style; “I went out among the people, I went and walked all the offices I learned who they were, what they did, how they did what they did, and how they supported me. I could observe them in every situation, you know, … who they supported just by being in their office. And then I got to know them personally over the last seven years.”
He acknowledged that workforce development “is a
bump in the road that we're going to have to address” but professed that he was “excited about the future” and projected that the NRC will begin to grow again.
Senator Pete Ricketts (NE) highlighted that Wright’s leadership is informed by years of public service and advising on nuclear and broader energy issues. He asked Wright: “How important is the streamlining process to deliver on the whole of
government directives? And what can Congress do to be able to continue to help you?”
Wright answered that a holistic government approach is necessary, ensuring that the United Sates has the energy security and independence required to pursue domestic and global objectives. He noted that regarding implementation, the ADVANCE Act, and “a lot of the parts” of the President’s Executive Orders are aligned. He
also thanked the Senate for its work in writing and passing the ADVANCE Act, stating that the legislation will help the NRC become more efficient, set ambitious and timely goals, and get advanced reactors and micro reactors moving. He noted that there are 25 vendors that are before the NRC in some form of early engagement, and another five (5) that have already gone through the licensing process; he specifically listed NuScale, TerraPower, Kairos, DOW, and X-energy.
Regarding what else Congress could do to assist the NRC, Wright stated that future legislation could help to compress safety and environmental reviews to gain efficiencies. “We’ve done as much as we can do at the NRC.” Wright promised to stay in touch with Congress, and to come to Congress with any requests for assistance.
Senator Alex Padilla
(CA) asked: “What steps will you take to ensure that communities located near reactors can feel safe in the event of an earthquake?”
Wright explained that the NRC already conducts detailed assessments and that it requires licensees to conduct assessments on seismic activity, flooding and risks posed by other major natural disasters that could occur. He continued that the assessments are
conducted regularly and that they can be conducted site specific at any time, using current data, or with any new data that might come up.
Senator John Curtis (UT) asked, in reference to nuclear development, “how will the NRC work with entities in the state of Utah on paths forward, and specifically lessons learned.”
Wright answered that, as a safety regulator, the NRC is committed to collaboration with states like Utah to have discussions early on about the technologies that states are considering, and what permits may be required for such technology. He noted that lessons learned include efficiently putting core teams together and breaking down workloads when it comes to advanced reactor licensing. He proudly stated that the NRC is now “ahead of the game”.
Senator Jon Husted (OH) recently introduced legislation called the Nuclear Refuel Act 6/12/2025), which he describes as setting “clear standards for licensing requirements for nuclear recycling facilities.” He asked for Wright’s thoughts on fuel recycling, and how the legislation may impact safety and efficiency.
Wright replied that the current regulatory framework allows for recycling, but that any bill that provides regulatory clarity or promotes
efficiently is necessary. He stated that he is open to fuel recycling, and he looks forward to following such legislation and looking at how it can be implemented.
Senator Husted also asked how Congress can help the NRC to balance safety and security with efficiency.
Wright reiterated how the ADVANCE Act
has enabled the NRC to become more efficient, granting it the power to look at reorganization, expand its hiring authorities, and to speed up license review and certification while retaining standard safety reviews. However, he also addressed the need to increase the domestic uranium stockpile and noted that Congress is already “working on ideas there”.
Senator Mark Kelley (MA) asked “How will
you protect the NRC from attacks that jeopardize its independence and ability to protect public health, health and safety?”
Wright stated that the NRC is independent agency housed in the executive branch that is accountable to both Congress and the Administration. He stated “safety is our strike zone over home plate, it is our north star. And it will continue to be that nothing that that has happened so
far, that nobody's asked us to compromise safety in any way. And nothing has touched safety.”
Senator Kelley followed by asking another question: “How do you plan to maintain strong public trust and confidence in the NRC’s ability to responsibly and independently regulate civilian nuclear activity through public engagement in hearings and proceedings?”
Wright stated that the NRC hosts and maintains public meetings, Federal Register notices, website announcements, email listservs, and social media posts. He described engagement with Tribes, which involves engaging with the community on the ground, hosting potluck dinners, and translating of print, radio, and other media into native languages in order to gain input.
Senator Roger Wicker (MS) asked if the NRC would commit to working with Congress and the White House to find a pathway to extend nuclear permits with less burden and less cost to the customers?
Wright replied “Absolutely, Senator, that's just common sense.”
Senator
Wicker followed “How is the NRC implementing SMRs into its regulatory framework? What can you tell us about this development? Why don't we have any more of them in operation? And how soon will these become a way of life?”
Wright reiterated that the NRC is focusing on advanced reactor licensing, and that five (5) reactor companies are already undergoing the licensing process. He highlighted NuScale
specifically, noting they already achieved a standard design approval, and that the next step is for them to go to market. He also reiterated that the other applicants are ahead of schedule, and that the NRC has 25 or more applicants that are engaged with the NRC in one way or another. .
Senator Cynthia Lummis (WY) asked “Can you ensure that early movers like TerraPower, are not
disadvantaged by shifting regulatory frameworks intended to benefit future applicants?”
Wright stated that the NRC is committed to all advanced reactor developers, regardless of their stage. He commented that he intends for applicants already deep in the licensing process to “benefit from modernization and not be penalized as a result of it.”
Chair
Capito thanked Wright, and the Senators in attendance for their time at the hearing.
ECA submits Letter of Support in Favor of David A. Wright
