ANS Friday Nuclear Matinee / February 5, 2016

February 5, 2016, 5:00PMANS Nuclear Cafe

ANS Friday Nuclear Matinee

This week's ANS Nuclear Cafe Friday Matinee features an update from South Carolina Electric & Gas on "A Year of Progress for V. C. Summer Units 2 and 3."  These two AP1000 units are being built near an existing nuclear unit, and not too far from the former (now decommissioned) site of "The Southeast's First Nuclear Power Plant," the Carolinas-Virginia Tube Reactor.

Nuclear Power Reactor Technology, 1950-1953 (Part 1)

December 8, 2015, 8:33PMANS Nuclear Cafe

In 1950, there were few nuclear reactors of any sort operating anywhere in the world, even though it had been eight years since the startup of the very first pile. In that intervening time, the Manhattan Project had given way to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and a variety of reactor types were discussed, debated, designed, and scheduled. None of these was what we today would call a true commercial nuclear plant-built for the purpose of selling electricity to customers. Instead, they were test types, prototypes, and experimental or research types. Large reactors were running at Hanford; these did not produce electricity, but rather plutonium for AEC weapons programs. Atomic energy was still considered far too undeveloped for serious consideration as a straight commercial power producer, and private industry was still barred from most all activities in the nuclear industry, embryonic as it was.

ANS Making Nuclear Visible in Paris Climate Talks

November 30, 2015, 9:21PMANS Nuclear Cafe

American Nuclear Society President Eugene S. Grecheck and Director of Communications and Outreach Tari Marshall will be in Paris on December 2-9 as observer delegates and to represent one of the lead organizations for Nuclear for Climate. "It is critical that nuclear energy be front and center so that delegates understand the essential role that nuclear will play in reaching climate goals," Grecheck said.

1st Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards Presented at ANS Winter Meeting

November 20, 2015, 8:51PMANS Nuclear Cafe

If you were unable to be at the Opening Plenary of the ANS Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., you missed the honoring of two pivotal leaders in nonproliferation efforts: former Secretary of State George Shultz and Dr. Sidney Drell. Both gentlemen were awarded the first Dwight D. Eisenhower Award by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division of the American Nuclear Society. Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower, presented the awards.