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Division Spotlight
Fuel Cycle & Waste Management
Devoted to all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle including waste management, worldwide. Division specific areas of interest and involvement include uranium conversion and enrichment; fuel fabrication, management (in-core and ex-core) and recycle; transportation; safeguards; high-level, low-level and mixed waste management and disposal; public policy and program management; decontamination and decommissioning environmental restoration; and excess weapons materials disposition.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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May 2024
Jan 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Securing the advanced reactor fleet
Physical protection accounts for a significant portion of a nuclear power plant’s operational costs. As the U.S. moves toward smaller and safer advanced reactors, similar protection strategies could prove cost prohibitive. For tomorrow’s small modular reactors and microreactors, security costs must remain appropriate to the size of the reactor for economical operation.
Technical Session|Panel|Panels
Friday, April 5, 2024|1:35–2:55PM EDT|Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub Room 603
Session Chair:
Rebecca A. Baker (Penn State University)
Session Organizer:
Jonathan B. Balog (Penn State University)
Public policy is a keystone to the strategic planning and the regulatory measures needed to create an environment where nuclear reactors of all sizes/shapes can be built and thrive as part of low or zero carbon energy future. Policymakers thus have extremely important roles in transforming stakeholder and public feedback into policy, especially when there are competing demands. Any policy made or changed must account for topics such as site selection, permitting procedures, safety protocols, environmental impact assessments, waste management strategies, and emergency response plans. Effective public policy frameworks aim to ensure the safe and responsible deployment of nuclear energy while addressing concerns related to safety, security, and environmental sustainability. By engaging stakeholders and implementing robust regulatory oversight, policymakers can facilitate the integration of nuclear power plants into the energy mix, contributing to a reliable, low-carbon energy future. This panel will discuss policies currently in place to support the development of new nuclear technologies and plants, as well as areas where policies need to evolve to support the construction of new nuclear power plants, especially advanced nuclear reactor designs, small modular reactors, and microreactors.
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Attachment — Public Policy Bios
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