The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is updating its regulations to increase the maximum fines it can impose for violations. These changes are required by a federal law that adjusts penalties for inflation. For violations of the Atomic Energy Act, the penalty will increase from $362,814 to $372,240 per violation, per day. Additionally, for false claims under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, the penalty will increase from $13,946 to $14,308. These new penalties take effect on January 15, 2025.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is changing the rules so that if someone breaks the law about using nuclear power, they will have to pay more money as a punishment, starting in January 2025. The fines are going up to keep up with inflation, which means money doesn't buy as much as it used to, so they need to increase the penalties.