Nuclear News

Published since 1959, Nuclear News is recognized worldwide as the flagship trade publication for the nuclear community. News reports cover plant operations, maintenance and security; policy and legislation; international developments; waste management and fuel; and business and contract award news.


NRC seeks public input on Level 3 PRA project

April 28, 2022, 12:00PMNuclear News

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking input from the public regarding the first set of results from its multiyear Level 3 Probabilistic Risk Assessment Project to analyze risk at a reference two-reactor nuclear power plant site.

The project, which began in 2012, updates risk insights obtained from work done more than 30 years ago, according to the NRC. The project examines a reference site with two large pressurized water reactors and associated spent fuel. It builds on Level 1 (possible reactor core damage scenarios) and Level 2 (possible radioactive material release scenarios) analyses to estimate potential health effects and economic impacts.

Proposed DOE-EM funding would advance technology development

April 28, 2022, 9:30AMNuclear News
Savannah River National Laboratory recently oversaw a demonstration of a new radiological inspection technology called iGART, a ground-based robot that conducts radiological and nuclear inspections. The DOE’s Office of Environmental Management used the demonstration at the Savannah River Site to determine if there is an application value for iGART at SRS or other EM sites. (Photos: DOE)

The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is looking to continue developing technology to aid in site cleanup activities if its fiscal year 2023 budget request is approved. The $7.64 billion budget request includes about $25 million for EM’s Technology Development Office.

DOE seeks nuclear-focused partnerships with communities

April 26, 2022, 9:30AMNuclear News

The Department of Energy has issued a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) aimed at developing partnerships between the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) and various communities. Partners will work with local energy communities, educational entities, and other constituencies to accomplish the shared mission of utilizing nuclear energy to advance energy, environmental, and economic initiatives, according to the DOE.

University programs: The many areas of research

April 21, 2022, 4:09PMUpdated April 22, 2022, 10:03AMNuclear News

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to the universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

DOE awards grant to Constellation to study direct air capture technology

April 22, 2022, 9:30AMNuclear News

The Department of Energy has awarded a grant worth $2.5 million to Constellation and its project partners to investigate the potential benefits of direct air capture (DAC) technology at its Byron nuclear power plant in Illinois. DAC would remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, a possible next-generation technology to help combat climate change.

University profile: Abilene Christian University

April 21, 2022, 4:55PMNuclear News
The new Science and Engineering Research Center at Abilene Christian University (Photo: Abilene Christian University)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Abilene Christian University, in Abilene, Texas.

University profile: Georgia Institute of Technology

April 21, 2022, 4:55PMNuclear News
Prof. Anna Erickson and Ph.D. student Natalie Cannon discuss a radioxenon detection system with applications in nuclear treaty monitoring and molten salt reactor off-gas monitoring. (Photo: Georgia Tech)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta, Georgia.

University profile: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

April 21, 2022, 4:30PMNuclear News
A cutaway rendering of the MIT nuclear battery concept shows important components such as the instrumentation and control module, the reactor, and the power module. (Image: MIT)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

University profile: North Carolina State University

April 21, 2022, 4:27PMNuclear News
Dr. Igor Bolotnov in the D.H. Hill, Jr. Library Visualization Studio. (Photo: NC State)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

University profile: Ohio State University

April 21, 2022, 4:26PMNuclear News
Prof. Carol Smidts and her group working with the nuclear power plant simulator in Scott Lab at Ohio State. (Photo: OSU)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio.

University profile: Oregon State University

April 21, 2022, 4:25PMNuclear News
Oregon State University’s Advanced Nuclear Systems Engineering Laboratory. (Photo: Oregon State)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Oregon State University.

University profile: Pennsylvania State University

April 21, 2022, 4:24PMNuclear News
Students in the Nuclear Innovation Commons, designed to promote collaboration and innovation. (Photo: Penn State College of Engineering)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Pennsylvania State University's nuclear program, based in University Park, Pennsylvania.

University profile: Purdue University

April 21, 2022, 4:23PMNuclear News
Purdue University Reactor Number One (PUR-1) is the first and only nuclear reactor operating in Indiana and the first and only facility to be licensed for a fully digital safety and control system. (Photo: Purdue)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana.

University profile: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

April 21, 2022, 4:21PMNuclear News
Nuclear engineering graduate students along the LINAC neutron beam line. (Photos: RPI)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, New York.

University profile: University of Massachusetts Lowell

April 21, 2022, 4:19PMNuclear News
Graduate students and young professionals from 25 countries have participated in the Intercontinental Nuclear Institute, a four-week summer fellowship training program cohosted by UML and the Czech Technical University in Prague, with support from the IAEA. (Photo: UML)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on University of Massachusetts Lowell, in Lowell, Massachusetts.

University profile: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

April 21, 2022, 4:18PMNuclear News
The HIDRA is currently used to study the way plasmas interact with the inside wall and materials of fusion devices. (Photo: Susan Mumm)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

University profile: University of Michigan

April 21, 2022, 4:17PMNuclear News
The Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project building facade. (Photo: University of Michigan

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on University of Michigan.

University profile: University of New Mexico

April 21, 2022, 4:16PMNuclear News
Graduate student Phoenix Baldez hosts high school students in a nuclear engineering lab as part of Engineering for Us All (E4USA), a National Science Foundation–funded pilot program to bring engineering courses to high schools. (Photo: UNM)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on University of New Mexico.

University profile: University of South Carolina

April 21, 2022, 4:15PMNuclear News
A grad student prepares advanced nuclear fuel specimens for testing, including uranium silicide as an accident tolerant fuel for LWR and mixed uranium/refractory carbide fuels for nuclear thermal propulsion applications. (Photo: UofSC)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on the University of South Carolina.

University profile: University of Tennessee Knoxville

April 21, 2022, 4:14PMNuclear News
The new Zeanah Engineering Complex on UT–Knoxville's campus. (Photo: UT–Knoxville)

Nuclear News reached out to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) to ask for assistance in connecting with nuclear engineering programs at U.S. universities. Our request to universities was to provide us with updates on their programs and to detail their areas of special interest.

NEDHO came through big time. As a result, 20 nuclear engineering programs answered the call. In this series of articles, we will take a close look at university programs around the United States. This time, the focus is on the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.