Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government. The commission, also called the NRC, was organized to ensure that the use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes does not endanger the health and safety of the public and the environment. It licenses and oversees the construction and operation of nuclear reactors that produce electric power. The NRC also regulates the use of radioactive materials in agriculture, industry, and medicine, and the packaging of such materials for transport.
The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 abolished the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and replaced it with the NRC and the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA). The NRC began operations in 1975. In 1977, ERDA was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Energy.
