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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Standards Program
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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AI at work: Southern Nuclear’s adoption of Copilot agents drives fleet forward
Southern Nuclear is leading the charge in artificial intelligence integration, with employee-developed applications driving efficiencies in maintenance, operations, safety, and performance.
The tools span all roles within the company, with thousands of documented uses throughout the fleet, including improved maintenance efficiency, risk awareness in maintenance activities, and better-informed decision-making. The data-intensive process of preparing for and executing maintenance operations is streamlined by leveraging AI to put the right information at the fingertips for maintenance leaders, planners, schedulers, engineers, and technicians.
Frederick A. Schumann
Nuclear Technology | Volume 19 | Number 3 | September 1973 | Pages 156-164
Technical Paper | Radioisotope | doi.org/10.13182/NT73-A15877
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A fuel capsule vent system was developed and designed for the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) in support of the upcoming Viking mission to Mars. Helium is continuously produced within the fuel capsule as a result of isotopic decay. By venting the helium external to the RTG, the initial RTG fill gas is maintained for maximum thermal efficiency. This reduces degradation of thermoelectric converter performance and provides the maximum electrical power for the mission. The logic and analysis, which led to the selection of a closed helium storage system, were made.
