Ryan K. Lighty

Partner

Ryan K. Lighty represents and advises utilities and other energy industry participants and investors in litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters before the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), other state and federal agencies, and in federal court. Ryan regularly counsels businesses on a range of complex issues associated with obtaining, amending, renewing, transferring, and terminating licenses for nuclear materials, nuclear reactors (including power and non-power reactors, advanced reactors, and small modular reactors) and medical isotope facilities. He also helps clients navigate the various regulatory issues associated with decommissioning NRC-licensed facilities.

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Up & Atom

Legal and Policy Trends in Nuclear Energy

Extended Profile

Ryan has represented NRC licensees as counsel of record in more contested adjudicatory proceedings before the NRC (i.e., the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) and the Commission) than any other attorney in the past five years, and has litigated a variety of technical, environmental, and financial matters. He also routinely guides clients on multifaceted regulatory compliance issues related to fitness-for-duty and work hour requirements, access authorization, firearms regulation, physical and cybersecurity, and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). He also holds a Top Secret "Q" clearance and is part of the firm's Classified Information Services practice.

Ryan works with clients to analyze safety and licensing issues related to the production, use, and transportation of hydrogen to combat climate change. He also helps clients achieve their sustainability/net-zero goals through nuclear plant license extensions and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

Additionally, Ryan has experience in performing internal investigations for NRC licensees. He regularly provides advice on Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) and safety culture issues, and has defended clients against whistleblower retaliation claims before the US Department of Labor. Ryan also helps employers navigate government ethics restrictions applicable to current and former federal agency employees, and advises clients regarding energy efficiency standards established by the US Department of Energy (DOE). Before joining Morgan Lewis, Ryan was an attorney in the NRC’s Office of the General Counsel and served as acting regional counsel in the agency's Region III office.

selected representations

Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point Units 3 and 4) in obtaining a Subsequent License Renewal (SLR), a first-of-its-kind licensing action that will allow the units to operate from 60 to 80 years beyond their initial licensing dates.
NextEra Energy (Seabrook) in obtaining a license amendment related to approval of an engineering methodology for demonstrating the structural adequacy of Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR)-affected concrete structures.
Interim Storage Partners in connection with numerous safety and environmental matters raised in the highly contested licensing proceeding to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in Southwest Texas.