THE JURISPRUDENCE OF THE ATOM: NAVIGATING THE LEGAL ARCHITECTURE OF CIVIL NUCLEAR ENERGY

This article analyses the complex legal architecture governing civil nuclear energy and its ongoing stress-testing by next-generation advanced designs like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Operating at the intersection of technological risk, sovereign grid security, and multi-generational ecological liabilities, nuclear jurisprudence relies on a delicate balance between absolute state sovereignty and mandatory global oversight. The analysis unpacks the four international pillars established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Safety, Security, Safeguards, and Third-Party Liability explaining how strict liability and legal channeling protect the global supply chain while managing transboundary risk. At the domestic level, it traces the critical structural shift from rigid, prescriptive licensing toward technology-neutral, risk-informed frameworks. Furthermore, the article addresses the statutory hurdles and contractual litigation surrounding back-end high-level radioactive waste storage, the unique jurisdictional conflicts introduced by transportable floating power plants, and the stringent export control matrices designed to prevent military proliferation. Finally, it highlights the expanding legal battlegrounds of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Justice mandates. The article concludes that the long-term viability of the global civil nuclear renaissance depends heavily on the structural harmonization and modernization of its international regulatory architecture.