ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
Steven A. Arndt (NRC)
Proceedings | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technolgies (NPIC&HMIT 2019) | Orlando, FL, February 9-14, 2019 | Pages 993-999
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 603-1991, “IEEE Standard Criteria for Safety Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations,” a technology neutral standard incorporated by reference in 10 CFR 50.55a(h), serves as the key regulatory requirement for instrumentation and control (I&C) safety systems in nuclear power plants in the U.S. Although the use of this standard and other IEEE standards have proven to be an effective method for the review and acceptance of I&C systems in the U.S., the NRC staff and a number of their stakeholders have indicated that relying on only conformance this standard to demonstrate safety may not provide the flexibility that many licensees and applicants desire. Although the U.S. has used IEEE standards since the beginning of the commercial nuclear industry as the primary reference for the development and licensing of I&C systems in nuclear power plants, other standards, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards are widely used by vendors that provide components to the nuclear industry. There is an interest in using IEC standards to provide effective methods for the review of digital systems as part of the NRC review process. This paper will discuss possible alternatives for updating the regulatory infrastructure to accomplish this objective.