Charter for Industry

The first set of ground rules for a civilian atomic industry were laid down last week by the Atomic Energy Commission. To get a license for 40 years or less to build and operate an atomic plant, a private company must be experienced, safeguard the public from the dangers of fissionable material and agree to release the Government from liability for any and all damage resulting from the private licensee's use or possession of nuclear materials. There will be no charge for the license and atomic plants producing electricity will come under the same regulatory agencies which now control other electric utilities. Manufacturers who do not build complete reactors, but only supply reactor components, will not have to be licensed. If the AEC must limit licenses or choose between competing applicants, the commission will give top priority to public power or cooperative agencies in high-cost power areas. Next will come private plants in high-cost areas followed by public or cooperative groups in lower-cost areas and finally all other public and private applicants. The only part of the privately owned plants that will be Government property will be the reactors' fissionable material, which will be rented.* But the commission did not announce how much it will charge for the material. Later, the commission will issue other regulations covering 1) the workers who will operate the reactors, 2) administrative procedures, and 3) health and safety requirements for workers.

* The reactor being built by Westinghouse at Shippingport, Pa. will be fueled by a ten-ton core of uranium. Larger reactors of current design may use as much as 200 tons, which must be replaced every few years.

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