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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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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Nuclear new build procurement considerations
It may seem counterintuitive, but the best time to enhance the ability to support operations and maintenance for a new plant is before construction starts. This is one of many lessons learned by the currently operating nuclear fleet. As construction and startup of many nuclear facilities was completed, it quickly became evident that the ability to efficiently support operations and maintenance was limited. Most of the information necessary to establish and manage procurement of spare and replacement items, maintenance, and configuration of the facilities was unavailable and had to be gathered on a case-by-case, “on-demand” basis. Absence of necessary information and the associated challenges resulted in the need for staff augmentation and multiyear-long projects to develop equipment bills of material and maintenance programs and to perform technical evaluations for the huge quantities of spare and replacement items being requested.
John Bistline, Revis James, Andrew Sowder
Nuclear Technology | Volume 205 | Number 8 | August 2019 | Pages 1075-1094
Regular Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2019.1574119
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The potential role for advanced nuclear reactors in U.S. markets is highly uncertain and depends on future technologies, markets, and policies. Using a detailed model of power sector investments and operations, this analysis systematically explores potential drivers and barriers to midcentury advanced nuclear reactor commercialization. Model results suggest that extensive deployment of advanced nuclear technologies would likely require a combination of new policies (especially carbon pricing), innovation in technologies to significantly lower capital and financing costs (likely below $4000/kW), and innovation in business models to enable nonelectricity revenue streams. With policies targeting stringent emissions reductions, the presence of technologies like lower-cost advanced nuclear can reduce compliance costs by over 50%. However, without strong policy support and in a market with low-cost renewables and gas, costs of advanced nuclear reactors would have to decrease substantially from current estimates to make them economically competitive by 2050.