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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 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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Latest News
DOE on track to deliver high-burnup SNF to Idaho by 2027
The Department of Energy said it anticipated delivering a research cask of high-burnup spent nuclear fuel from Dominion Energy’s North Anna nuclear power plant in Virginia to Idaho National Laboratory by fall 2027. The planned shipment is part of the High Burnup Dry Storage Research Project being conducted by the DOE with the Electric Power Research Institute.
As preparations continue, the DOE said it is working closely with federal agencies as well as tribal and state governments along potential transportation routes to ensure safety, transparency, and readiness every step of the way.
Watch the DOE’s latest video outlining the project here.
Yasushi Tsuboi, Kazuo Arie, Nobuyuki Ueda, Tony Grenci, A. M. Yacout
Nuclear Technology | Volume 178 | Number 2 | May 2012 | Pages 201-217
Technical Paper | Small Modular Reactors / Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-74
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Super-Safe, Small and Simple (4S) sodium-cooled fast reactor plant incorporates innovative design features, such as a nonrefueling reactor, passive safety, low maintenance requirements, and inherent security. Major components such as the reflector drive mechanisms, the electromagnetic pumps, and the double-wall tube steam generator have been optimized for efficient and safe operation.The nonrefueling reactor concept is made possible by incorporating a 30-yr refueling interval for the reflector-controlled metallic fuel core. Sodium-cooled, metallic-fueled fast reactors have a good conversion ratio due to fast neutron usage, thus extending the core life. Passive safety is achieved with redundant residual heat removal systems that function using only natural circulation, and a metallic core with a negative reactivity coefficient. Low maintenance requirements are achieved by simplifying the design and minimizing the use of active components, and by using electromagnetic pumps, which have no moving parts. The inherent security of the nuclear materials is significantly enhanced by the nonrefueling reactor concept and the minimal maintenance requirements. In addition, the reactor building is located below ground level, providing substantial protection against an aircraft impact and thus further enhancing the security of the design.The demonstration of key components such as the electromagnetic pumps and the steam generator is part of an ongoing testing program that has already confirmed many of the 4S engineering solutions.This paper describes the current status of design and component tests for the 4S reactor.