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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Warren F. Witzig, Vincente Serradell
Nuclear Technology | Volume 58 | Number 1 | July 1982 | Pages 36-46
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT82-A32955
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The increasing uncertainty of oil supplies and the rapid price changes associated with this uncertainty have encouraged some nations to turn increasingly to nuclear energy to produce electricity. The economic penalty associated with no spent fuel reprocessing for the country of Spain is determined, and this serves as an example of one of the consequences of a nonproliferation policy of a “throw-away” fuel cycle. The growth rate of electricity is forecast and the Spanish plan for the addition of nuclear plants is examined. The neutronics of the “throw-away,” the uranium recycle, and the uranium and plutonium cycle systems are reviewed and the economics of each system compared. There is a definite economic advantage to the uranium and plutonium recycle system being employed as early as possible. Such employment will have favorable foreign trade imbalance implications and foster national independence of imported oil.