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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
Tuesday, June 17, 2025|10:00–11:45AM CDT|Chicago Ballroom C
Session Chair:
Nathan R. DeKett
Alternate Chair:
Ricky Summitt
Session Organizer:
David Grabaskas
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Safety Analysis Methodology for Multipurpose Nuclear Microreactors from the Conceptual Design Stage
10:00–10:20AM CDT
Liz A. Ambruster-Sanchez (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Pamela F. Nelson (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Orestes Castillo-Hernández (Comisión Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias (CNSNS))
Paper
Reactor System Design Optimization Using the ASME Plant Systems Design Standard (PSD-1)
10:20–10:40AM CDT
Orestes Castillo-Hernández (CNSNS), David Quintanar-Gago (UNAM), Pamela F. Nelson (UNAM), CR Grantom (CRG LLC), Ralph Hill (Hill Engineering Solutions LLC)
Integration of PSA in the BWRX-300 Design Requirements Management System
10:40–11:00AM CDT
Cuauhtemoc Reale Hernandez (GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Patrick Mirek (GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Tyra Gordon (GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Sean Stepanow (GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy)
Probabilistic Evaluations of Digital Instrumentation and Control Applications in the Design of BWRX-300
11:00–11:20AM CDT
Nathan DeKett (GE - Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Andrew McArthur (GE - Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Mochen Shahbaz (GE - Hitachi Nuclear Energy), Peter Miller (GE - Hitachi Nuclear Energy)
ASME PSD-1 to Support the Design of HVAC for a Radioisotope Production Facility
11:20–11:40AM CDT
Omar Pérez-Parrazal (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Pamela F. Nelson (UNAM)