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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.
Technical Session|Sponsored by OPD
Wednesday, November 18, 2020|4:50–6:30PM EST
Session Chair:
Hitesh Bindra (Kansas State Univ.)
Alternate Chair:
W. Neal Mann (The University of Texas at Austin)
Session Organizer:
Staff Producer:
Paul LaTour (American Nuclear Society)
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To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Fission Batteries: Definition, Key Attributes, and Research and Development Needs
Vivek Agarwal (Idaho National Laboratory), Jess C. Gehin (Idaho National Laboratory), Youssef A. Ballout (Idaho National Laboratory)
Paper
Limits of Fission Battery Design: Sodium-Cooled Thermal-Spectrum Fission Battery
Charles W. Forsberg (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Patrick J. McDaniel (University of New Mexico)
Limits of Fission Battery Design: Fluoride-salt-cooled Thermal-Spectrum Fission Battery
Charles W. Forsberg (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Eugene Shwageraus (University of Cambridge)
Creating a Molten Salt Component Reliability Database: Initial Efforts and Path Forward
Megan E. Harkema (Vanderbilt University), Askin Guler Yigitoglu (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), Steven L. Krahn (Vanderbilt University), Andrew G. Sowder (Electric Power Research Institute)
