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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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A series of firsts delivers new Plant Vogtle units
Southern Nuclear was first when no one wanted to be.
The nuclear subsidiary of the century-old utility Southern Company, based in Atlanta, Ga., joined a pack of nuclear companies in the early 2000s—during what was then dubbed a “nuclear renaissance”—bullish on plans for new large nuclear facilities and adding thousands of new carbon-free megawatts to the grid.
In 2008, Southern Nuclear applied for a combined construction and operating license (COL), positioning the company to receive the first such license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2012. Also in 2008, Southern became the first U.S. company to sign an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for a Generation III+ reactor. Southern chose Westinghouse’s AP1000 pressurized water reactor, which was certified by the NRC in December 2011.
Fast forward a dozen years—which saw dozens of setbacks and hundreds of successes—and Southern Nuclear and its stakeholders celebrated the completion of Vogtle Units 3 and 4: the first new commercial nuclear power construction project completed in the U.S. in more than 30 years.
Myron B. Reynolds
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 1 | Number 5 | October 1956 | Pages 374-390
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE56-A28776
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The rare gases have not been shown to exhibit measurable equilibrium solubility in metals, nor do any common metals exhibit measurable permeability to the rare gases. By means of nuclear reactions, however, “solid solutions” of rare gases in metals may be produced which permit the rare gas diffusion process to be studied. Results of work on the system radiokrypton-uranium are presented. Diffusion of radiokrypton from small cylinders of irradiated normal uranium was found to be negligible at temperatures below 1000°C. The diffusion rate was found to be quite temperature-sensitive and was considerably enhanced by thermal cycling. Swelling of the metal specimen during the diffusion process and the fact that the theoretical time dependence was never observed, leads to the conclusion that gas escape is by way of grain boundaries or microcracks. A possible mechanism to explain the thermal cycling behavior is presented.