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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
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August 2025
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Latest News
The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Plenary Session
Friday, April 5, 2024|8:00–9:50AM EDT|Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub Room 603
Session Chair:
Jonathan Balog (Penn State University)
Session Organizer:
Speakers
Lisa MarshallANS Vice President 2023-2024
Sola TalabiSenior ConsultantPittsburgh Technical
Oscar PratSenior Director, AP1000® Construction Support Services Westinghouse Electric Company
It's no secret that building new nuclear power plants in the United States has been a challenging experience. After construction began over a decade ago for Vogtle Units 3 & 4, both units are now online and connected to the grid. Given the energy and resources being invested into reactors of all shapes and sizes, delays on this scale must be avoided as much as possible given the economic costs as well as clean energy goals that must be met. Insights from past and present nuclear plant construction efforts must be applied in a coherent and meaningful way to mitigate or prevent the issues seen previously. This plenary panel aims to dig up, and dig through, some of the historical context of cost/schedule overruns, new issues that were encountered with the AP1000® projects at Vogtle, and how community engagement has contributed to nuclear power project cancellations as well as premature closures. Together, these lessons learned will help inform future construction efforts across the United States, regardless of the reactor being built!
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Attachment — Opening Plenary Biographies
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