India, July 23 -- A US court rejected environmental groups' challenge that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) acted arbitrarily by failing to discuss in greater detail the aging or climate-related inputs in its severe-accident risk analysis (SAMAs).

The NRC was sued by Beyond Nuclear and the Sierra Club over a 2024 rule changing the number and scope of environmental issues considered during the renewal process.

The petitioners argued that the NRC and industry did not adequately consider how aging components and climate change would affect the risk of severe accidents involving reactor-core damage. "Of greatest concern is the extension of operating the licenses of the country's already aging nuclear power plants well beyond the init...