The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has requested $1.05 billion in its Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal to Congress to regulate nuclear power plants and users of nuclear materials to protect people and the environment. This budget represents a $13.3 million decrease from the FY 2010 budget that was enacted by Congress last year.
Decreases from the FY 2010 budget are primarily due to decreases in the high-level waste repository programme and a decrease in the number of operating nuclear power plant licence renewal applications expected in FY2011. Decreases are offset by slight increases in regulatory activities for new reactor and nuclear fuel facility applications. The budget is broken down is as follows: nuclear reactor safety (804.1 million); nuclear materials and waste safety ($239.4 million); inspector general ($10.1 million)/
The NRC recovers approximately 90 % of its budget from user fees, less an appropriation from the Nuclear Waste Fund (NWF) and other activities, which are not fee recoverable. As such, the NRC’s FY 2011 budget request would be financed, with approximately $915.3 million from user fees and the NWF, resulting in a net appropriation of approximately $138.3 million.
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