The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved Westinghouse's request to renew and update the standard design certification (DC) for its AP1000 reactor.

Wednesday's renewal allows Westinghouse to incorporate the lessons learned from the construction of Vogtle-3 and -4 in Georgia into the design of the AP1000, establishing Vogtle-4 as the standard AP1000 reference plant for U.S. deployment. The DC renewal should further Westinghouse's efforts to make repeated deployments of its AP1000-a reactor that is a key player in domestic efforts to quadruple nuclear capacity over the next few decades-more rapid and efficient.

The NRC's decision comes roughly six months after the regulator received Westinghouse's application to renew and update its design and lengthy design control document (DCD).

"The NRC's approval of the updated AP1000 design provides the regulatory foundation for America to move from building individual reactors to deploying them at scale," NRC Chairman Ho Nieh said in a statement. "This is how safety-focused, enabling regulation reduces regulatory uncertainty and investment risk."

Further details: The direct final rule from the NRC will be effective December 28 pending any significant adverse comments; any public comments must be received by November 13. The renewal also includes an environmental assessment supportive of the AP1000 design certification, with a determination of no significant environmental impact associated with the renewal of the AP1000 DC.

The renewal extends the DC through 2066, according to the Federal Register notice, which was issued Wednesday. A 2025 decision from the NRC increased the 15-year duration of DCs to 40 years; this amendment impacted both current and future DCs. The AP1000 DC was first approved in 2006, revised in 2011, and extended in 2025; that version was valid through 2046.

The NRC said it reviewed and approved nearly 200 license amendments during the construction and start-up of Vogtle-3 and -4.

"By incorporating applicable design changes and lessons learned from that experience into the renewed certification, future AP1000 applicants can reference an updated design rather than seeking separate approval for changes the NRC has already evaluated," the NRC said.