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The nuclear waste management and disposal program in the United States for highly radioactive waste (spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste) has thus far been unsuccessful despite an effort that spans 40 years and the expenditure of tens of billions of dollars. Yet, today, there is considerable interest in and promotion of advanced reactor technologies, such as small modular reactors that will expand spent fuel inventories that may very well remain at the site where they are generated, awaiting permanent, geologic disposal. We examine critical elements of the US legal and regulatory framework that have impeded the success of the US program. We make recommendations on steps that are required for a successful nuclear waste program, particularly considering the development of advanced nuclear reactors and their fuel cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear energy is currently in the spotlight as a future energy source all over the world amid the global warming crisis. In the current state of miniaturization, through the development of advanced reactors, such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors, a fission battery is inspired by the idea that nuclear energy can be used by ordinary people using the "plug-and-play" concept, such as chemical batteries. As for design requirements, fission batteries must be economical, standardized, installed, unattended, and reliable. Meanwhile, the commercialization of reactors is regulated by national bodies, such as the United States (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). At an international level, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversees the safe and peaceful use of nuclear power. However, regulations currently face a significant gap in terms of their applicability to advanced non-light water reactors (non-LWRs). Therefore, this study investigates the regulatory gaps in the licensing of fission batteries concerning safety in terms of siting, autonomous operation, and transportation, and suggests response strategies to supplement them. To figure out the applicability of the current licensing framework to fission batteries, we reviewed the U.S. NRC Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and IAEA INSAG-12. To address siting issues, we explored the non-power reactor (NPR) approach for site restrictions and the permit-by-rule (PBR) approach for excessive time burdens. In addition, we discussed how the development of an advanced human-system interface augmented with artificial intelligence and monitored by personnel for fission batteries may enable successful exemptions from the current regulatory operation staffing requirements. Finally, we discovered that no transportation regulatory challenge exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 25-26 March 2023, the U.S. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) held its 2024 annual meeting in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. The NCRP dates from 1929, and this meeting celebrated the 60th anniversary of receiving a U.S. Congressional Charter. For this annual meeting the NCRP felt it was essential to provide a briefing about advanced and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). The Journal of Radiological Protection is delighted to publish the following synopsis of material presented at the U.S. NCRP meeting. This synopsis is divided into five sections. The first section provides an overview of the whole meeting together with summaries of two context setting overview papers. The following four sessions of this synopsis are specific to advanced and small modular nuclear power reactors. The meeting also included keynote presentations by three of NCRP annual award recipients. The meeting topical areas were Technology Overview and Critical Issues. The individual papers laid the groundwork to understanding reactor technologies, terminology, and the fundamental concepts and processes for electrical generation. The perspectives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and states, through the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors were provided. The papers included a discussion of diverse topics including potential emergency preparedness considerations, radiological survey requirements, an evaluation of the future of nuclear power, the economics of reactors (both large and small), and the critical issues identified by the recent National Academies of Sciences' study on advanced reactors. The summary papers were developed to briefly document the major points and concepts presented during the oral papers presented at the 2024 NCRP Annual Meeting. The meeting heralded the dawn of a new era for commercial nuclear power., (© 2024 Society for Radiological Protection. Published on behalf of SRP by IOP Publishing Limited. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

As the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons takes full effect, the world's nuclear powers have shown no inclination to eliminate or limit their nuclear stockpiles. Non-nuclear states, meanwhile, have limited access to nuclear energy technologies. This treaty proposal combines an incentive for nuclear weapon states to disarm with an opening for non-nuclear weapons states to develop domestic nuclear energy industries. By disseminating defensive weapons platforms throughout the world and obligating participating states to allow destruction of any launched weapon, nuclear weapon states can more reliably avoid mutually assured destruction as a strategic tool. The treaty also obligates the United States to place a nuclear reactor within the borders of other signatories with the goal of eventually turning over full control of the nuclear program to the host state. The proposal explores the legality of each piece of this treaty and the feasibility of its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost of building new nuclear reactors receives a great deal of attention in market economies, including the United States, Japan, and Germany. But in a post-Fukushima era of additional safety regulations, the economics of keeping a fleet of aging reactors online may command just as much attention. The author reviews the experience of the US nuclear reactor fleet in light of the post-Fukushima scrutiny of nuclear safety and describes the factors that have influenced, and will likely influence, future decisions about whether to own and operate nuclear reactors. He shows that safety has been the driver of nuclear costs and that the inability of the industry to deliver safe reactors at affordable costs is an endemic, long-standing problem. Nuclear power, he writes, is a complex technology based on a catastrophically dangerous resource that is vulnerable to natural events and human frailties, which suggests that nuclear safety and affordable reactors are currently incompatible and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, there were more nuclear power units under construction worldwide than in any year since 1988. Even before Fukushima, however, status indicators for the international nuclear industry were showing a negative trend. Fewer countries are operating nuclear fission reactors for energy purposes than in previous years, and many countries are now past their nuclear peak. Worldwide nuclear production is generally declining, and many new projects are experiencing construction delays. Even if reactors can be operated for an average of 40 years, 74 new plants would have to come on line by 2015 to maintain the status quo, which is impossible given current constraints on fabricating reactor components. Developments in Asia, particularly in China, do not fundamentally change the global picture. The dramatic post-Fukushima decisions in two of the four largest economies, Japan and Germany, and in several other nuclear countries could accelerate the decline of a rapidly aging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The events at Fukushima Daiichi have greatly renewed the public focus on the safety of the existing fleet of nuclear reactors, especially as many US reactors share the same fundamental design—and safety systems—as the affected Japanese reactors. The authors explore the proposition that a transition to increasingly passive safety features in new advanced reactor designs— supplementing, and in some cases superseding, the existing approach of depending on active “defense-in-depth” safety systems—could significantly reduce reactor safety risks. Such passive safety features are highly developed in new small modular reactor designs now under thorough study, designs that may also markedly improve the economic case for nuclear power, based on a factory-built reactor approach. These reactors offer the possibility that US-based manufacturers could regain a significant share of the international nuclear reactor market. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although some countries plan to build new nuclear power plants in the near future, in aggregate the data indicates that nuclear power's influence will continue to dwindle across the globe in coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civilian and military stockpiles of materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons continue to pose global risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the possible supply chain problem over the nuclear industry. It cites that in 1960, the initial growth of nuclear energy gives encouragements to the manufacturers to supply parts for a large-scale construction projects. However, in the late 1970's, the nuclear reactors slowed in parts of the world and the industrial support base reduced. Today, the increase in demand for nuclear reactors has worsened the nuclear supply chain. Only Japan Steel Works Ltd. can now make the central component of any reactor while the U.S. utilities have expressed that they will not receive this critical part in time. The demand for large reactor pressure vessels is expected to be more severe and on other parts such as coolant pumps, steam pressurizers, and diesel generators.

Focuses on the controversy surrounding the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel program of the U.S. and Russia. Use of MOX in commercial nuclear power reactors; History of MOX; Economic aspects of the U.S-Russia MOX fuel agreement.

Focuses on the efforts made to reduce the reduction of stocks of highly enriched uranium in the U.S. and in Soviet Union. Historical background on the development of research reactors in Soviet Union; Advantages of highly enriched uranium; Incentives for reactor operators to convert individual research reactors; Details of the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor program.

Highlights • Detailed energy data can be developed from U.S. greenhouse gas reporting. • Nearly all heat demand at temperatures below 100 °C occur in the Midwest. • Medium- and high-temperature demands are more evenly distributed. • The technical potential of alternative heat supplies is 30% of heat demand. Abstract Industry is frequently highlighted as the world's largest energy-using end-use sector. More specifically, the demand for heat drives much of the demand for energy and fossil fuels in the industrial sector. We conduct a top-down analysis to characterize historical energy and fossil fuel use in 14 top-GHG-emitting industries in the United States, their heat demand requirements, and the potential to substitute heat from geothermal, solar thermal (including concentrating technologies), and small modular nuclear reactors to meet these needs while reducing fossil-fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We base this analysis on publicly-available facility-level GHG emissions and fuel-combustion data, in addition to assumed requirements for process temperature, to demonstrate the potential value to industry energy analysts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data. We estimate on a county level that the adoption of these alternative heat sources could have reduced 2015 fossil-fuel use by approximately 31% and combustion GHG emissions by approximately 24%. The most extensive substitution opportunities are in the ethyl alcohol manufacturing and wet corn-milling industries; petroleum refining represents the largest absolute emissions mitigation potential. This initial top-down analysis of substitution potential does not consider more detailed technical factors, including resource availability that will influence the actual deployment of alternative energy technologies. The analysis also does not consider the economic or market factors, including the expected cost to build and operate these generators. We do assume process byproducts that are extensively used for combustion fuels would not be good candidates for substitution for alternative energy generators. Based on these caveats, our analysis could be considered a top-range estimate for this mix of heat generators and industry heat demands. Any subsequent analysis of these alternate energy sources should increase the level of technical, economic, and policy detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the perils involved in the establishment and operations of military reactors. Safety considerations; Lessons learned from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in Ukraine; Plans of the U.S. and Soviet Union on the moratorium in weapons-grade plutonium production.

The article reports that several citizen groups supported by the local opposition are protesting the initiative of the government to restart the Three Mile Island Unit 1 reactor in Pennsylvania. The protests raised fundamental questions about democratic decision making. A nuclear accident occurred at the reactor of General Public Utilities Corp. had compelled tens of thousands of people to leave their homes in 1979. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommended to restart the nuclear reactor. The protesters demand that the nuclear power plant should be phased out and made illegal.

The article presents the author's comments on the declining performance of the U.S. nuclear plants. Since 1979, the performance of U.S. nuclear power plants has declined sharply. The 62 licensed commercial-size reactors averaged slightly under 57 percent capacity. It is informed that design errors, equipment failures and the accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania have led to widespread shutdowns.

The article discusses Pakistan's capability to develop nuclear weapons. By analyzing the nuclear power technology and nuclear weapons capability, the author suggests that Pakistan can become a nuclear power in 1980. This probability has got strength from Pakistan's effort to construct a centrifuge uranium enrichment plant. The author discusses the capability of a civilian nuclear program to build nuclear weapons. The author says that Pakistan seems to be motivated by competition with India. The country is also with the assumption that its nuclear status can boost its economic development. Pakistan initiated its civilian nuclear program in the 1950s. For the program, it signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the U.S. It purchased a 5-megawatt reactor from the U.S.

The article offers information on the shut down and dismantling of a U.S. nuclear reactor in Antarctica. In April 1960, the Atomic Energy Commission released some studies on the economic advantages of nuclear reactors at several remote military bases. The Pentagon was finding diesel fuel too expensive for generating electricity used by radar and communication bases in isolated areas. Four bases were chosen where nuclear power would be tried: they are McMurdo in Antarctica, Thule in Greenland, and bases in Okinawa and Guam.

The article presents facts and fallacies about nuclear power. The author enumerates fallacies about nuclear power including its production, cycle, distribution, and acquisition. According to the author, nuclear power can be produced by many technical approaches including the use of high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor. He states that closing the fuel cycle is not guaranteed to save money rather accumulates thousands of pounds of plutonium. However, large quantities of separated plutonium is not needed. He declares that technologically advanced countries have no obligation to transfer nuclear technology to other nations. Practical measures on the use of nuclear power by Ford administration are enumerated.

The article reports on Brazil and West Germany's nuclear agreement. Brazil and Germany are both postwar allies of the United States and the move is a big leap for their diplomatic independence. Implementation of this agreement for fifteen years will fulfill Germany's need for German reactor export sales and fuel supplies while meeting Brazil's demand for atomic energy. Brazil and Germany's ambition of becoming self-sufficient in nuclear resources will also be realized. Senator Abraham Ribicoff raised some important points regarding the nuclear deal during a speech.

The article offers a report relating to the American Physical Society's reactor safety study. It states that the study reveals that a nuclear reactor core meltdown accident followed by a major release of gaseous and volatile fission products to the atmosphere could cause severe consequences. The research reviewed the calculations made in the Atomic Energy Commission's (AEC) Reactor Safety Study, using the same assumptions, that two omissions in the calculations made in the AEC study had resulted in an underestimate of the average number of deaths from their reference accident by one or two orders of magnitude.

The article presents a discussion about the capacity factor and availability factor measures of the nuclear light water reactors industry in the U.S. Availability factor is defined by the Atomic Energy Commission as the percentage of the total time in a given period that a plant is producing electricity. Capacity factor is the measure of the total electrical energy produced by a plant during the period compared to the energy that it can produce had it operated at the licensed design power level for the entire period.

The article presents a discussion about the proposal made by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission called plutonium economy, which will authorize the nuclear power industry to use plutonium as fuel in nuclear reactors across the country. Approval of the proposal is believed to cause the creation of a large civilian plutonium industry and an increase in the risks of nuclear power. Plutonium, known as the most toxic substance that can produce cancer in animals, is used as a material in making nuclear weapon.

The article focuses on the nuclear option of Israel. It includes a description of Israel's nuclear technology. The discussion of the nuclear program includes the understanding of reasons why the option of nuclear arms has become a part of the country's strategic calculations. The people of Israel believe that the main problem they are facing is the issue of security and though they have fought into several wars, their country has yet to achieve the true and lasting peace with its Arab neighbors. Israel has the ability to develop nuclear weapons and with the approval of the United States to provide nuclear reactor to the military of Egypt, Israel is encouraged in joining the nuclear club.

The article offers information on fission energy and other sources of energy. The problem of how to suffice the increasing demand for energy in the world is attracting great concern. In the United States, the creation of the atomic energy reactor initialized the strategy to counteract this problem. Competent team of scientists worked in laboratories which were well aided by the U. S. government. This technological innovation spread to other countries. However in some countries like the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China, atomic bombs were manufactured, while in other countries atomic reactors were built for peaceful use.

The article focuses on the health hazards to public health of the plutonium fuel economy in the U.S. Plutonium is the end product of the breeder reactor that comes from uranium-238. Some critics including a physicist, Donald Geesaman, has given warnings on the transition to plutonium as a major energy source which means large scale production of a fuel but exposing the public to a nuclear explosive and one of the most toxic substances. The environmental hazard of plutonium is creating the same controversy as the radiation hazard. This could be the reason of public apprehension on the proliferation of atomic power despite the proposal of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to amend the reactor design and operating criteria to reduce emission radiation. INSET: FISSION AND FUSION REACTORS: The Alfven Memorandum.

The article discusses the impact of nuclear-powered, industrial complexes (Nuplexes) on the society in the U.S. Nuplexes is designated to a difficult-to-describe phenomenon that is expected to come into a physical existence and is considered as one consequence of the introduction of a great nuclear reactors for electrical power production. The author states that it can contribute positively to the people if it will become an institution with an image of its own for which it could gain popular support.

The article discusses the significance of developing nuclear energy in the U.S. and the excellent nuclear reactor to be used in the technology. The authors examine the properties of breeder and burner reactors, and consider the supply of uranium available with the future energy requirements. Moreover, they suggest some factors that are necessary in developing the nuclear energy such as the search for a practical breeder reactor, improvement of the conversion ratio of burners, and the long-term waste disposal problem.

The article focuses on the major developments in the establishment of central station nuclear reactors in the U.S. that can achieve economies in the cost of capital equipment required in supporting the nuclear chain reaction. It provides detailed information on the different types of reactors being developed such as the pressurized water reactors, heavy water reactors, and the light water moderated super-heat reactors. Furthermore, a table is provided to differentiate the fixed capital charges, the operating costs, and the fuel cycle costs of each type of reactors.

The article provides information regarding the peaceful uses of atomic energy in the U.S. The growth of nuclear power station in other underdeveloped countries will depend on their indigenous fuel supplies, on the available loads, and on their technological development. The nuclear power stations have been either dual-purpose power stations or demonstration power stations and would not be economic as commercial stations. The capital costs per kilowatt of the first of the commercial nuclear power stations have been very much reduced below those of Calder Hall and Shippingport.

The article presents a summary on the Joint Committee report on nuclear energy and private enterprise in the U.S. A list of atomic reactors in operation or under construction in the country, is presented. The history of the atomic power industry as well as several proposals and approaches towards nuclear energy development and the argument between government monopoly and private enterprise in the control of atomic energy are discussed. The present arrangements, in which government manufacture of plutonium is carried out through contract agreements with industrial firms are believed to be inefficient since there is no incentive to reduce costs, increase output or take well-calculated risks.

The article discusses ways to establish the industrial development of nuclear energy in the U.S. The sense of urgency for the development of nuclear power as an important industrial undertaking is discussed. It is said that the U.S., which has spent the most on the nuclear energy research, has the least immediate need for a new large-scale power source. An important aspect of creating a large-scale civilian nuclear power industry is to evaluate its impact on power costs. The author discussed a nuclear power economics analysis from the Argonne National Laboratory. Issues related to the development of a civilian nuclear power industry is discussed including technical problems, system longevity and the non-military or semi-military uses for nuclear reactors.

The article comments on the proposal of David E. Lilienthal, former Chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, to develop atomic energy. The author stresses that Lilienthal's proposal to eliminate secrecy concept to military matters is unquestionably valid. He stresses that estimates on comparative capital cost of constructing the reactor vary with the design. He emphasizes that the Lilienthal proposals will authorize the private construction, ownership, and operation of reactors capable of producing bomb quantities of atomic material.

The article focuses on the Sixth Semiannual Report of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The report is devoted to a detailed and readable description of the research in biology and medicine which is supported by AEC. It is inferred that the commission is charged by law with exclusive control of materials, equipment and processes which are unique and not yet understood. The commission has every reason to assume extensive responsibilities for further development and study of atomic energy. The Medical Board of Review, composed of scientists and educators, recommended that the commission should expand research on the biological effects of radiation, take primary responsibility for protecting health against atomic energy hazards and encourage circulation of scientific information.

The article presents a discussion of the report "Technological Control of Atomic Energy Activities," transmitted to the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission by the U.S. Delegation. The report is based on the studies by American scientists and the outcome of several studies in the past years. The purpose of the report is to make specific proposals including the control of atomic energy to the extent significant to ensure its use for peaceful purposes and the effective safeguards to protect complying States against the hazards of violations and evasions of agreements concerning the use of atomic energy.

Nonlinear ultrasound was used to monitor radiation damage in two reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. The microstructural changes associated with radiation damage include changes in dislocation density and the formation of precipitates, and nonlinear ultrasonic waves are known to be sensitive to such changes. Six samples each of two different RPV steels were previously irradiated in the Rheinsberg power reactor to two fluence levels, up to 1020 n/cm2 (E > 1 MeV). Longitudinal waves were used to measure the acoustic nonlinearity in these samples, and the results show a clear increase in the measured acoustic nonlinearity from the unirradiated state to the medium dose, and then a decrease from medium dose to high dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This analysis compares the cost of various electric grid scenarios at the national level over a one-year period. Scenarios include high renewable, zero nuclear, zero carbon, and deployment of advanced nuclear. Additionally, several carbon tax scenarios are explored in the model to further assess the cost generation if the current nuclear fleet retired. The cheapest scenarios were those that involved less reliance on conventional nuclear reactors and more molten salt reactors, renewables, or natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a timeline of the history of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) of the U.S. Construction of the plutonium breeder reactor program started in December 1970. Congress ends funding for the Clinch River reactor in November 1983. A Tri-Party Agreement was signed by the Energy Department with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Ecology Department to clean up the Hanford site. During operations, the FFTF produced isotopes for medical and industrial purposes, tritium for the U.S. fusion research program and conducted research for Japan's breeder program.

Reports on the end of the no-dual-use policy, which prohibits commercial nuclear power reactors from producing bomb materials, as part of the U.S. nuclear non-proliferation rule. Reason behind the conversion of lithium to tritium at the Watts Bar nuclear reactor of the Tennessee Valley Authority; Petition of We the People, a Tennessee-based group, to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding the granting of grant license amendments for commercial nuclear reactors; Actions taken by the U.S. Energy Department for the maintenance of tritium supplies.