Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee Matthew Marzano pledged to make the agency more efficient — in part by helping it carry out legislation he helped pass as a staffer in June.
Why it matters: The NRC is preparing for a potential wave of new applications from advanced reactors while overseeing the fleet of more than 90 reactors.
- Marzano, an EPW staffer nominated to serve as the fifth NRC commissioner, reminded the committee at his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he forged agreement on the ADVANCE Act, an overhaul of agency policies to expedite licensing.
Driving the news: Marzano is the second shot for Democrats to seat someone at the commission after the White House gave up on Jeff Baran's renomination amid GOP opposition.
- Marzano has sparked some opposition in pro-nuclear circles. Ted Nordhaus, who led the charge against Baran, wrote last week that Marzano was unqualified and his selection was "straight up patronage."
- Prodded by Sen. Dan Sullivan, Marzano responded to Nordhaus' piece: "It's certainly inaccurate. I don't think it fairly characterized my experience. I don't think it fairly characterized the work I did for this committee."
Our thought bubble: Marzano's nomination doesn't appear to face as much opposition from EPW.
- Returning the NRC to five members is key to carrying out the commission's expanding priorities.
Regulatory issues are only one obstacle for nuclear, which has faced high-profile cost overruns.
- "Looking at first-of-a-kind [projects], you're going to see longer time periods in order to get those things online," Marzano said.
The big picture: The commission has been grappling with retaining staff and opening up a new licensing pathway for advanced reactors, as required by a 2018 bill.
- "In order to meet this moment, we have to be ready for these technologies," he told the panel. "It's going to be important for the NRC to do the work upfront."
Between the lines: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, EPW's GOP ranking member, pressed Marzano to ensure applicants and licensees get the "maximum value for the fees paid to the NRC."
- Capito, who spearheaded the ADVANCE Act, also urged him to bring fresh urgency to a commission with "a history of a lot of foot-dragging."
- Marzano said the law's provision to lower costs for applicants will lead to "better interactions and better understanding between NRC staff and those potential applicants."
- Marzano declined to directly answer questions from Capito on whether he would've voted differently from the NRC's Democratic majority on controversial decisions that she said generate uncertainty for the industry.
What's next: An EPW spokesperson said she hopes the committee moves the nomination "swiftly."
