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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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Latest News
INL makes a case for eliminating ALARA and setting higher dose limits
A report just released by Idaho National Laboratory reviews decades of radiation protection standards and research on the health effects of low-dose radiation and recommends that the current U.S. annual occupational dose limit of 5,000 mrem be maintained without applying ALARA—the “as low as reasonably achievable” regulatory concept first introduced in 1971—below that threshold.
Noting that epidemiological studies “have consistently failed to demonstrate statistically significant health effects at doses below 10,000 mrem delivered at low dose rates,” the report also recommends “future consideration of increasing this limit to 10,000 mrem/year with appropriate cumulative-dose constraints.”
Technical Session|Panel|Sponsored by THD
Monday, November 16, 2020|3:40–5:50PM EST
Session Chair:
M. Scott Greenwood (ORNL)
Session Organizer:
Alternate Chair:
Piyush Sabharwall (INL)
Staff Producer:
Erica McGowan (American Nuclear Society)
Economic, environmental, and political pressures are consistent powers of change. Over the past several decades, nuclear has remained the principle force for reliable, cost-effective electricity and clean, carbon-free energy. However, it is no secret that sufficient change in the energy market has accumulated, leading to a tipping point for nuclear power within the United States. As in all other markets, nuclear must adapt to survive and remain a critical cog in America's energy portfolio. Integrated energy systems, expanding the nuclear energy market beyond electricity to thermal heat applications and flexible operation, may be the key to nuclear's existence in the 21st century and beyond. In this session, various panelists will highlight the ongoing research for development and deployment of such systems and provide examples from use cases that are currently being analyzed for further discussion on technical merits and foreseen challenges.
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