How we regulate

The Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator is the regulator of activities relating to Australia's nuclear-powered submarines. 

In order to conduct any regulated activity (either facility activities, submarine activities or material activities), a person must be authorised by an Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety licence to conduct that activity. 

Only a commonwealth-related person can apply for a licence. 

Conditions will attach to the licence. 

Section 32 of the Act and Part 4 of the Regulations set out these conditions.

There are currently two key regulators relevant to nuclear-powered submarines: 

• The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) (established by the Energy Act 2013 (UK)). 
• The Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR), established by the Director-General Defence Safety Authority, who is appointed by the Secretary of State for Defence. 

The DNSR has regulatory responsibility where Defence has exemptions, derogations, or disapplications from health, safety, and environmental protection legislation (for which the ONR is the regulator). 

Under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (UK), no person may use a site for the purpose of installing or operating a nuclear reactor, or other prescribed installation, unless a licence to do so has been granted in respect of that site. A corporate body may apply to the ONR for a licence. 

Section 4 of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 requires conditions to be attached to a licence. The ONR has a set of 36 standard licence conditions. 

The DNSR is responsible for authorising specific positions in organisations to undertake activities for the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (which comprises the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme and the Nuclear Weapons Programme). The authorisation system is closely equivalent to the licencing undertaken by the ONR, including that the requirements for authorisation are, as far as possible, aligned with the ONR licence conditions. 

In January 2025, the UK Prime Minister commissioned an independent Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce to modernise and strengthen the country's nuclear regulatory framework. 

The Taskforce published its report in November 2025, making 47 recommendations aimed at simplifying regulatory process, enhancing safety, and accelerating the development of new nuclear projects. 

The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) is jointly managed and self-regulated by the National Nuclear Security Administration (a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy) and the Department of the Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command. 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the regulatory authority for radioactive waste management but does not regulate safety in relation to the operation of the nuclear-powered submarines. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) regulates safety-related activities at DOE nuclear facilities, except those under the authority of the Director of Naval Reactors. 

The Department of Energy and the Department of the Navy have conferred a number of responsibilities on the Director of Naval Reactors, including:

• the safety of reactors and associated naval nuclear propulsion plants; and 
• the control of radiation and radioactivity associated with naval nuclear propulsion activities.

These responsibilities include prescribing and enforcing standards and regulations relating to environmental protection and the safety and health of workers, operators and the general public.