A joint Department of Energy and NASA team has demonstrated a simple, robust fission reactor prototype [note: see Comments for more accurate and complete description] intended for development for future space exploration missions. The DUFF (Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions) experiment represents the first demonstration in the United State-since 1965-of a space nuclear reactor system to produce electricity.

(Above, Westinghouse artwork depicting the Clinch River Breeder Reactor plant as envisaged in November 1973.)

Integrating Storage, Transportation, and Disposal

On November 7, an important hearing about the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant was held before the Vermont Public Service Board. Howard Shaffer has an excellent post on this hearing at ANS Nuclear Cafe.

In September 2012, American Nuclear Society members in the Tennessee Valley area turned out in record numbers to support an ANS presence at a public hearing in order to inform the public and media about the nonproliferation benefits of the mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel program. These remarkable volunteer efforts were recognized in several venues at the 2012 ANS Winter Conference & Technology Expo, including the ANS Public Information (PI) Committee meeting, the ANS Board of Directors, and the ANS PI Workshop hosted by Mimi Limbach of Potomac Communications and Craig Piercy, ANS rep in Washington, D.C. The decision was made at the PI Workshop to designate the official name of the Chattanooga hearing as the "Chattanooga Caper."

The 132nd weekly Carnival of Nuclear Energy Bloggers is posted at The Hiroshima Syndrome.  This week's topics include: Russia's full-scale push to become totally nuclear by 2100; families of Vermont Yankee employees share what it feels like to be faced with uncertainty about the extension of a nuclear power plant operating license; how emotions should favor nuclear energy; how it seems nuclear energy isn't that big a political issue in Japan; and natural gas... being more dangerous than nuclear energy. For the full reports, see The Hiroshima Syndrome (the internet's top source for Fukushima updates and commentary).

In my September post at the ANS Nuclear Cafe, I discussed the Democratic and Republican party platforms, along with their potential impacts on nuclear energy. With the 2012 U.S. elections now behind us, this post provides a post-election follow up, and discusses the impacts of the election results on nuclear's prospects over the near- to mid-term.

The November 2012 edition of the technical journal Fusion Science and Technology (FST) is available electronically and in hard copy for American Nuclear Society member subscribers and others. Non-subscribers click here to  subscribe to FST and other ANS titles.

Public Service Board hearing a success

The 131st weekly Carnival of Nuclear Energy Bloggers is up at The Hiroshima Syndrome (the internet's top source for Fukushima updates and commentary).

With the 2012 American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting wrapping up in San Diego, a musical tribute to the nuclear sciences and technologies-and now, the nuclear arts!- is in order.

The ANS Winter Meeting is focused on progress in nuclear technology. Keep up-to-date year round with the ANS technical journal Nuclear Technology (NT).  The November 2012 edition is available electronically and in hard copy for American Nuclear Society member subscribers and others. Non-subscribers click here to  subscribe to NT and other ANS titles.

A second nuclear IPO also is announced

WHO:   Anyone with an interest in communicating with policymakers  about important nuclear issues

Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs, have been under consideration in many quarters of late as a new focus for nuclear power generation. While the recent deadline for Department of Energy grant money came and went without so much as a whisper from the DOE, the concept continues to be developed. Quite a few presentations have been made, as a result, on reactors of this class here at the ANS 2012 Winter Meeting.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be hosting the 2013 ANS Student Conference, to be held April 4-6, 2013, in Boston, MA.  MIT student leaders are making the rounds at the ANS Winter Conference to highlight the exciting events in store at the student conference.

WHO:   Anyone with an interest in use of social media

Many prestigious and well-deserved honors and awards were presented in the opening plenary of the 2012 American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting.  Presented by Dr. Paul J. Turinsky of North Carolina State University, who himself was awarded the ANS Presidential Citation in 2009, and Dr. Michael Corradini of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, President of the American Nuclear Society.

The morning for us here in San Diego was filled with Opening Plenary Session events followed by an Attendee Luncheon in the Nuclear Technology Expo.  (During the luncheon I had the good fortune to meet Dillon Inabinett and Kallie Metzger, both Graduate Research Assistants at the University of South Carolina's College of Engineering and Computing.)

Candace Davison, senior reactor operator and senior research and education specialist with Pennsylvania State University, on November 12 received the American Nuclear Society's 2012 Landis Public Communication and Education Award.