Historic Idaho Reactors Detailed at ANS Winter Meeting

November 8, 2016, 10:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

Installation of SPERT-II reactor vessel.  From IDO-16050, published 1959, in Will Davis library.

Installation of SPERT-II reactor vessel at National Reactor Testing Station, now Idaho National Laboratory. From IDO-16050, published 1959, in Will Davis library.

The history and lore surrounding the dozens of reactors constructed and operated at the Idaho National Laboratory could fill a book - and has filled at least one whole book and parts of many others.  Today, at the American Nuclear Society's 2016 Winter Meeting a unique presentation was given in the early afternoon by Harold McFarlane, who retired after 44 years working with Argonne National Laboratory (which operated a number of the reactors built in Idaho.)

Advancing Nuclear: Paths to the Future

November 8, 2016, 2:41AMANS Nuclear Cafe

"How do we move nuclear energy into the future?" was the question asked and answered in a variety of ways during a fascinating speakers' session that followed this morning's opening plenary.  Several expert speakers in a variety of fields provided frank and illuminating commentary on the condition of nuclear now, and on the things that have to change for nuclear energy to be vibrant in the decades to come.

Parity

October 26, 2016, 3:52PMANS Nuclear CafeWill Davis

We've seen in the last two weeks both good news and bad for the U.S. nuclear plant fleet, as one nuclear unit under construction came on line and one of the earliest remaining in the U.S. was permanently shut down. The net effect? Raising the total rated megawatts of U.S. nuclear plants slightly, but remaining at the same number of nuclear units on line.

Andy Klein on leading nuclear into the future

October 14, 2016, 4:03PMANS Nuclear Cafe

Dr. Andy Klein

Klein: "We need to start somewhere"

At the ANS Annual Meeting in New Orleans in June, ANS President Andrew Klein introduced the Nuclear Grand Challenges project, which is aimed at understanding the technical challenges facing nuclear science and technology. To identify those challenges, ANS will be accepting ideas from members and the public from now until March 2017. Klein discussed with Nuclear News Associate Editor Tim Gregoire his goals for the project and how the final challenges will be chosen.

Perspective on Nuclear Construction

October 12, 2016, 5:40PMANS Nuclear CafeWill Davis

Indian Point Unit 1 under construction.  Photo in Will Davis library.

Indian Point Unit 1 under construction. Photo in Will Davis library.

A new article published by the Korea Times, entitled "Korea is second-fastest nuclear plant building country: IAEA" points up the fact that South Korea has historically built its nuclear plants on the average of 56 months (from construction start to commercial operation.)   The article points up the fact that two nations normally thought of as nuclear power leaders and pioneers, France and the United States, have historically seen this average way up at 126 months and 272 months, respectively.  I'd like to offer some comments -- not a defense, but just some comments -- on those numbers to provide perspective, since they're pretty long and, in the case of the U.S., extremely long.

Cuban Agreement Awakens Memories of Juragua

October 5, 2016, 4:04PMANS Nuclear CafeWill Davis

The announcement made this past September 27 that Russia had signed an agreement with Cuba to cooperate in the advancement of nuclear technologies raised in some quarters the notion that Cuba might again aspire, eventually, to investigate nuclear energy.  The details of the original effort to give nuclear energy to Cuba were remembered in some places; we will take a brief look at that effort and what became of it.

Monju May Face End

September 21, 2016, 1:35PMANS Nuclear CafeWill Davis

Monju fast reactor; courtesy Japan Atomic Energy Agency

On Wednesday, September 21, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced that the nation would undertake a thorough review of the Monju fast-reactor project. Nikkei Asian Review quoted Suga as saying that the government "will fundamentally review it by the end of the year, including (the option of) scrapping it." Thus, it would appear that Monju may finally be facing the final curtain as a working project - although it has not operated in some time.