Nuclear regulators should weigh climate change risk to power plants, report says.

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) should consider the risks of climate change when planning for the safety of nuclear power plants. The report states that 75 nuclear power plants in the US are located in areas expected to be affected by climate change-driven weather events such as droughts, extreme heat, and floods. The NRC currently relies on historical data rather than climate projections to assess safety risks, and does not factor in climate projections during the license renewal process. The GAO recommends that the NRC incorporate climate projections data into its safety planning and develop a plan to address gaps in its assessment process. The NRC asserts that its current processes provide reasonable assurance to address natural hazards and potential climate change. [Extracted from the article]