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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
19th International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2025)
Technical Session|Sponsored by NISD
Monday, June 16, 2025|3:15–5:00PM CDT|Northwestern/Ohio State
Session Chair:
Karl N. Fleming
Alternate Chair:
Jim Obrien
Session Organizer:
David Grabaskas
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
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Operational Experience and Development of a Reliability Model for the Advanced Test Reactor Demineralizer System
3:15–3:35PM CDT
Daniel K. Sluder (Idaho National Laboratory - Advanced Test Reactor), R. Duane Ball (INL), William M. McCartin (INL), Timothy J. Stout (INL), Mihai A. Diaconeasa (NCSU)
Paper
Evaluation of Standby Equipment Runtime Failure Rates
3:35–3:55PM CDT
Robert Kirchner (Jensen Hughes), Arfa Butt (Jensen Hughes), Meredith Blue (Jensen Hughes)
Emerging Concerns and Expectations for Optimizing Natural Circulation in Advanced Nuclear Reactors
3:55–4:15PM CDT
Samuel A. Olatubosun (Entergy Nuclear)
Safety Assessment of a Passive Decay Heat Removal System for a Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor Conceptual Design
4:15–4:35PM CDT
Irfan Ibrahim (Vanderbilt Univ.), Steven Krahn (Vanderbilt Univ.), Megan Harkema (Vanderbilt Univ.), Allen Croff (Vanderbilt Univ.), Paul Marotta (Vanderbilt Univ.), Hangbok Choi (General Atomics), John Bolin (General Atomics), Eric Thornsbury (EPRI)
Cumulative Damage Modeling to Support Reliability Integrity Management
4:35–4:55PM CDT
Robert Youngblood (INL), Todd Anselmi (INL), Scott Ferrara (INL)
