Licensing timeframe for nuclear power plants in the U.S. 2023, by license type
Licensing durations for nuclear power plants in the United States vary according to the license type, with design certifications having the longest duration on average. A design certification grants approval for a nuclear power plant design – as the name indicates – but is independent of an application to construct or operate a plant. For instance, operating licenses in the U.S. have a duration of up to 3.5 years and licensing costs of about 42 million U.S. dollars.
