NRC Workforce Shrinks 16% Amid Reforms, Yet Advances Faster SMR Reviews

A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in September 2026 documented a net loss of approximately 500 NRC employees from July 2024 through June 2026, reducing headcount from 2,957 to 2,477—a decline of more than 16 percent. The majority of separations were voluntary retirements and resignations, with limited involuntary actions and a federal hiring freeze contributing to the drop. Despite these changes, NRC officials and most interviewed stakeholders expressed no major concerns about the agency's capacity to maintain safety standards or conduct timely application reviews.[1][2]

The staffing reduction coincided with broader federal workforce optimization efforts under executive directives, including the ADVANCE Act authorities for retention incentives. Hiring has since rebounded in some quarters, and agency leadership emphasized process reforms over simply replacing personnel. Chairman Ho Nieh highlighted a shift toward fundamentally altering licensing decision-making rather than scaling staff to historical peaks seen during the 2000s-2010s nuclear renaissance attempts.[3]

Evidence of accelerated reviews emerged in late September 2026 when the NRC issued a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority's BWRX-300 small modular reactor at Clinch River—the first such U.S. permit for this GE Hitachi design. The 14-month review concluded four months ahead of the projected schedule, following an early site permit and safety evaluations. This marks the second major advanced reactor construction approval in 2026, alongside TerraPower's Natrium project.[4][5]

DOGE-affiliated personnel, including figures like Seth Cohen, participated in steering committees for regulatory streamlining, aiming to reduce review timelines without compromising core safety. ProPublica reporting and congressional discussions have framed these changes as part of efforts to enable a nuclear expansion, though critics have raised questions about long-term expertise retention. Historical parallels show past NRC staffing surges did not prevent multi-year delays or project cancellations in the prior decade.[6]

The GAO noted it is too early to fully assess whether efficiency gains offset the net staff loss of roughly 500 positions, with potential for further workforce planning tools by early 2027. Industry stakeholders continue to monitor impacts on the projected wave of new reactor applications.