The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) 
is amending its regulations to require applicants for new nuclear power 
reactors to perform a design-specific assessment of the effects of the 
impact of a large, commercial aircraft. The applicant is required to 
use realistic analyses to identify and incorporate design features and 
functional capabilities to show, with reduced use of operator actions, 
that either the reactor core remains cooled or the containment remains 
intact, and either spent fuel cooling or spent fuel pool integrity is 
maintained. These requirements apply to applicants for new construction 
permits; new operating licenses that reference a new construction 
permit; new standard design certifications; renewal of any of the four 
existing design certifications if the design has not previously been 
amended to comply with the rule; new standard design approvals; 
manufacturing licenses that don't reference a standard design 
certification or standard design approval, or that reference a standard 
design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which 
has not been amended to comply with the rule; and combined licenses 
that don't reference a standard design certification, standard design 
approval, or manufactured reactor, or that reference a standard design 
certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has 
not been amended to comply with the rule. In addition, these amendments 
contain requirements for control of changes to any design features or 
functional capabilities credited to show that the facility can 
withstand the effects of an aircraft impact.