How does the NRC ensure that the licensee will have the money needed for decommissioning?
Financial assurance is provided by the following methods: Prepayment: In this case, at the start of operations, the licensee deposits enough funds to pay the decommissioning costs into an account. The account is segregated from the licensee’s other assets and remains outside the licensee’s control of cash or liquid assets. Prepayment may be in the form of a trust, escrow account, government fund, certificate of deposit, or deposit of government securities. External sinking fund: An external sinking fund is established and maintained by setting funds aside periodically into an account segregated from licensee assets and outside the licensee’s control. The total amount of these funds will be sufficient to pay decommissioning costs when it is anticipated that the licensee will cease operations. An external sinking fund may be in the form of a trust, escrow account, government fund, certificate of deposit, or deposit of government securities. Surety method, insurance, or other guarantee me
