As Trump boosts nuclear power, regulators seek to eliminate a longstanding radiation safety practice

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to eliminate the ALARA radiation safety principle, which has required minimizing radiation exposure for 50 years, replacing it with a 'graded approach' based on potential radiation doses. This move aligns with President Trump's efforts to expand nuclear energy production amid rising demand from data centers and AI, while the Energy Department has already stopped using ALARA. The NRC claims safety standards remain unchanged, focusing on clarifying regulations rather than lowering them.