Sponsored Content


Oak Ridge: The Future Begins With Cleanup

February 29, 2024, 5:09PMSponsored ContentUnited Cleanup Oak Ridge, LLC
Event celebrating the transfer of strontium-90 to Zeno. From left, UCOR President and CEO Ken Rueter, DOE EM Senior Advisor Ike White, OREM Manager Jay Mullis, Zeno Power CEO Tyler Bernstein, and NASA Planetary Science Chief Technologist Leonhard Dudzinski.

For 80 years America has called upon East Tennessee to accomplish big missions… and Oak Ridge consistently answers that call.

As the lead cleanup contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM), United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) kicked off 2024 with a significant waste transportation success in delivering risk reduction and a notable cleanup-to-clean-energy outcome for the nuclear industry.

Ensuring Safety and Cleanliness: The Crucial Role of Industrial Vacuums in Nuclear Power Facilities

February 29, 2024, 5:09PMSponsored ContentGoodway Technologies Corporation

In the intricate and highly controlled environment of a nuclear power plant, radioactive contamination looms as a constant concern. Radioactive materials, whether in the form of dry particulates or within water sources, pose a significant risk if they breach the confines of their designated areas. Controlling contamination is not just a priority but a critical imperative to the well-being of both the plant infrastructure and the personnel operating within it.

RSCS Inc. Constructs Mobile Nuclear Chemistry Laboratory

December 1, 2023, 9:00AMSponsored ContentRadiation Safety & Control Services, Inc.

Radiation Safety & Control Services Inc. (RSCS) was contracted by Energy Solutions LLC to design and build a custom mobile laboratory to support the chemistry and radiation protection departments during D&D and FSS activities at the Kewaunee Power Station (KPS). The Environmental & Engineering (E&E) department of RSCS was tasked with the planning, design, procurement, management, and oversight of the project. The E&E Team at RSCS has considerable experience in nuclear site characterization, establishment of radiological environmental monitoring programs, GIS, and field sampling. E&E team members have developed and audited radiological environmental monitoring programs for several nuclear sites around the US. Our corporate environmental and engineering team includes a broad range of professional disciplines including:

New Partnership

December 1, 2023, 7:59AMSponsored ContentWestinghouse Electric Company LLC Parts Business
Surplus parts can be provided for mechanical, electrical and I&C applications.

Westinghouse Parts Business is excited to announce our partnership with The Park Company. The Park Company has demonstrated excellence in nuclear component obsolescence solutions for over 30 years with experience in part valuation and resale. The Westinghouse and The Park Company team provides industry leading design, testing and resale market experience.

Nuclear Fire Protection & Physical Security Value Studies

October 4, 2023, 11:32AMSponsored ContentWestinghouse
Modern Fire Protection Equipment

Technology, Experience, and Efficiency in Fire Protection & Physical Security

Westinghouse is the world’s leading supplier of safe, innovative nuclear technology that generates nearly 50% of the world’s nuclear power. Our technology and engineering know-how provides our utility partners with a means to optimize plant maintenance spending, gain regulatory margin and maintain a compendium of data behind investment decision making. The following projects illustrate how utilities can benefit greatly from optimization and efficiency within their Physical Security and Fire Protection programs.

October is
Fire Prevention
Month

NTS Huntsville, the testing partner of choice for the nuclear sector, is now Element Nuclear

October 4, 2023, 11:31AMSponsored ContentElement Nuclear

Element and NTS have merged to become the world’s premier provider of Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) services for safety-critical, tightly regulated industries where failure is not an option. We provide unmatched resources, knowledge, service, technical competence, and scale, helping our customers go to market with confidence. In the energy sector, we verify functionality, reliability, and efficiency at every stage of the value chain, from extraction to generation to distribution.

Critical Maintenance Helps Safeguard a Clean Energy Future

September 21, 2023, 12:06PMSponsored ContentGoodway Technologies

Net zero emission policies across the globe, and more specifically in the USA, have nuclear power plants in the crosshairs of efficiency and safe power generation. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Power currently provides 52% of the nation’s 100% clean electricity. However, shifting energy markets, among other economic factors, have already resulted in the early closure of 12 commercial reactors across the United States since 2013. These closures have put pressure on existing nuclear infrastructure, and the DOE has thus pledged a $6 Billion Program, named the Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program, to preserve the clean nuclear energy infrastructure of the United States.

Thorium for Power, Planet, Prosperity
Thorium Energy To Power the World

August 1, 2023, 6:03PMSponsored ContentThorium Energy Alliance
Thorium Energy Alliance Tours the INE Generation Facility, Talnique, El Salvador

15 years into an epic journey to realize the potential of the most abundant and safest nuclear fuel and critical material known to man. Thorium Energy Alliance (T.E.A.) has made world changing progress in reviving the many uses of thorium and its allied companion elements.

Westinghouse Parts Business MG Set Control Power Cabinets

June 1, 2023, 11:37AMSponsored ContentWestinghouse Parts Business
Next Generation MG Control Power Cabinets Installed

Westinghouse Parts Business (WPB) is proud of the first next generation Motor Generator (MG) Set System fully operational at Palo Verde Generating Station. The team completed a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) implementation and installation at the power plant operated by Arizona Public Service (APS), including the next generation MG Control Power Cabinets and new MG Sets. Additionally, Westinghouse installed the new ARCH (Advanced Rod Control Hybrid) system. These systems were installed in a single outage providing additional synergies and cost savings to operations.

A Gateway to Artificial Intelligence for the Nuclear Industry

June 1, 2023, 11:37AMSponsored ContentNextAxiom

Imagine if your employees had a Virtual Assistant that could create condition reports, work requests, or plan work orders simply by asking for it. Or better yet, what if the Virtual Assistant could create work packages and plan your employees’ day automatically without even having to ask? How much more productive would we be if we all had a Virtual Assistant to help perform our work and capture and share our activities as they occurred?

Invest in nuclear now

June 1, 2023, 11:36AMSponsored ContentNucleation Capital
Concept image by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture LLP.

Nucleation Capital is a new venture fund focused on investing in next-generation nuclear energy and deep decarbonization. We are pleased to introduce ourselves to the broader nuclear community under the ANS theme “Invested in Nuclear.” Investing is always a forward-looking endeavor and, from what seemed to be an uncertain future, we’re delighted to see the industry anticipating substantial new growth and working to support it.

Bolstering this new outlook are important trends that are worth highlighting. We’re all seeing amazing shifts in how nuclear power is discussed. In the last few years, Nuclear has garnered surprise support from Democratic governors seeking to protect existing plants and Republican governors repealing old nuclear bans and vying to get next-gen plants sited in their states. In key pieces of federal climate legislation, nuclear has seen equal treatment under ITCs and PTCs and billions allocated to help save older plants and accelerate commercialization of new plants.

Innovative Filtration System Shortens Schedule and Delivers Radwaste Savings

February 24, 2023, 2:34PMSponsored ContentAVANTech, LLC
BWR spent fuel pool dual SCF system with shields.

The return of low natural gas prices combined with the advent of high efficiency renewables has placed more pressure on nuclear power plant operators to reduce their operational and maintenance costs and to increase plant availability while continually meeting the increasing number of safety and regulatory requirements. Outage management is a key factor for good, safe, and economic nuclear power plant performance; it involves detailed planning and preparation as well as the application of proven advanced technologies for completing task activities. Outage tasks frequently require the use of pure, high clarity water. Traditional filtration technologies used for maintaining clarity have long been the bane of many nuclear plant operators. Poor water quality in the fuel pool and reactor cavity can cause high radiation exposure, and high turbidity can lead to the slow-down or complete stoppage of underwater work activities.

Delivering Massive Efficiency (and Bottom-Line) Gains Through Chemical Descaling

February 1, 2023, 2:11PMSponsored ContentGoodway Technologies Corporation
Goodway Technologies GDS-100 Scale Removal System

Power generation has many factors and key indicators to identify the “health” of a plant. Some macro-level indicators are vital to help identify challenges before they become problems; others are less sensitive yet just as important. Micro indicators such as condenser return temps or changes in pump pressures can be critical indicators of a problem that few understand, yet which results in enormous loss of efficiency. That problem is deposits on critical system tubing and piping caused by calcium carbonate or other mineral buildups. The bottom line? Scaling is a significant issue in power plants that can considerably impact efficiency and profitability.

Westinghouse Parts Business Overview, Parts Quality Program

January 3, 2023, 2:35PMSponsored ContentWestinghouse Parts Business

INPO IER 21-4

Safety and reliability have long been hallmarks of the commercial nuclear industry, which has averaged an annual capacity factor over 90% since 2012 and generates more than 775 GWh of clean energy each year (US EIA).

In an industry driven to continuously improve to maintain plant availability at high levels, equipment reliability remains a frequent subject of conversation between nuclear plant operators and suppliers. In September 2021, INPO released event report 21-4 titled “Improving Plant Reliability” and identified a steady trend in equipment-related events which resulted in lost generation of 38 million MWh between 2018 and 2022. These events were generally preventable and led INPO to make several recommendations to the industry, most notably one that challenged the industry to review and establish a “sustainable parts quality process”.



Reverse Engineering/Obsolescence (with I&C focus)

December 1, 2022, 3:57PMSponsored ContentWestinghouse Parts Business
Westinghouse employee completing visual inspection of I&C part

Obsolescence and the ability to obtain qualified replacement and spare parts are primary concerns in the nuclear industry. In fact, approximately 35% of installed equipment is obsolete.

Westinghouse Parts Business (WPB) has over 50 years of experience replacing and upgrading systems for operating nuclear power plants with access to original design information as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

WPB provides innovative, cost-efficient solutions for Westinghouse and non-Westinghouse systems in order to increase reliability of I&C systems, including enhanced replacement components, repair and refurbishment services. Recently, WPB has supported numerous customers in obsolescence and Reverse Engineering (RE) services.

Modern surface assessment technologies address today’s inspection challenges in nuclear power plants

December 1, 2022, 3:57PMSponsored ContentCreaform USA Inc.

While nuclear power plants are some of the most highly regulated and safe worksites in the world, inspection challenges remain. According to estimates by industry experts, the over 400 reactors located across the globe are, on average, 30 years old, and getting older. Extending the nuclear fleet’s lifetime to 60 years or longer has become an imperative in many countries, with engineers and scientists looking for new methods and solutions to predict and maintain the structural integrity and reliability of on-site infrastructure. An unprecedented labor shortage, retiring inspection specialists, and legacy work methodologies are exacerbating the issues in conducting safety inspections efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively.

Computer-guided work a new driver for compliance & cost reductions in nuclear

November 1, 2022, 2:26PMSponsored ContentNextAxiom Technology, Inc.

Computer-Guided Work

When it comes to computer-guided navigation, we look to our GPS app for seamless guidance. It provides granular, step-by-step directions while it tracks our position and progress towards our destination. It superimposes relevant information such as the location of restaurants and the lowest price gas stations on route. One of these days, it will even read us the menu of a selected restaurant on our path while placing an order as we drive towards it.