BWXT will return in mid 2015ANS Nuclear CafeDecember 2, 2014, 7:11PM|ANS Nuclear CafeOn November 5, the day before a scheduled quarterly conference call with investors and analysts, Babcock & Wilcox (NYSE:BWC) announced that it was splitting into two separate publicly traded companies.Go to ArticleTags:pwrsreactor designssmall modular reactorsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Matinée: Journey of the Flamanville Reactor Pressure VesselANS Nuclear CafeOctober 25, 2013, 6:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeToday's ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinée takes faithful viewers through the beautiful waterways and countryside of France, following the route of the massive reactor pressure vessel being delivered to the new 1,650 MWe European Pressurized Reactor under construction at the Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant.Go to ArticleTags:arevanuclear matineereactor designsreactor pressure vesselsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Fighting for the Next InchANS Nuclear CafeSeptember 5, 2013, 1:57PM|Peter ShawI had an interesting conversation with some colleagues last night. We were talking about our jobs, and it turned out that some of them were considering moving on to new prospects outside of the nuclear industry. After digging in to the reasons why, the sentiment seemed to come down to "It feels like we're running as hard as we can only to gain inches every day."Go to ArticleTags:peter shawplant vogtlereactor designswestinghouseShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Matinee: Taylor Wilson's radical plan for small nuclear fission reactorsANS Nuclear CafeMay 17, 2013, 6:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeA video was uploaded recently at TED Talks that has caused a bit of a stir around the internet. Nuclear scientist Taylor Wilson, 19 years of age, enthusiastically sets out to solve the problem that underlies all others: Energy.Go to ArticleTags:nuclear matineereactor designssmall modular reactorstaylor wilsonShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Inherent and engineered safety: Did Weinberg predict today's reactors a quarter century ago?ANS Nuclear CafeMarch 28, 2013, 1:57PM|ANS Nuclear CafeFollowing the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident on March 28, 1979, it seemed to many as if a slowing nuclear energy industry in the United States had been dealt a death blow. It had not, but the public's confidence was shaken, and this blow to public opinion built upon a decade's worth of intensive, focused anti-nuclear effort on the part of a number of large well-funded special interest groups.Go to ArticleTags:alvin weinbergnuclear historyreactor designsweinbergwill davisShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Update and Perspective on Small Modular Reactor DevelopmentANS Nuclear CafeMarch 21, 2013, 6:00AM|Jim HopfThe US Department of Energy has a $452 million program to share development and licensing costs for selected small modular reactor (SMR) designs. The DOE's goal is to have an operating SMR by ~2022. Last November, the DOE awarded the first grant to the B&W mPowerTM reactor. In more recent news, the DOE has decided to issue a follow-on solicitation to enter a similar cost-sharing agreement with one or more other SMR vendors (and their SMR designs). The status of development and licensing for several SMR designs are summarized below.Go to ArticleTags:dc perspectivedepartment of energygen4 energyhyperionjim hopfmpowernuclear technologynuscalereactor designssmall modular reactorssmrwestinghouseShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Fukushima Two Years LaterANS Nuclear CafeMarch 7, 2013, 2:58PM|Will DavisAt about a quarter to three in the afternoon on March 11, 2011, a gigantic and unprecedented earthquake struck just over 110 miles off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The quake was followed, just over 40 minutes later, by the first of several rounds of tsunami, which inundated enormous areas and eradicated entire towns and villages. Over 19,000 people were killed or are still missing, and over 6,000 survivors were injured.Go to ArticleTags:bwrsearthquakefukushimalessons learnednatural disastersradiationreactor designsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Responding to System DemandANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 14, 2013, 3:30PM|Will DavisSignificant discussions have occurred recently on various internet venues about "load following"-that is, the capability of a generating source to adjust its power output to match variable demands. There is a myth spreading that nuclear power plants cannot load follow, and today's ever-changing discussion about low-GHG generating sources demands that this myth be dispelled.Go to ArticleTags:base loadload followingreactor designssmall modular reactorsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Bill Gates on Nuclear Energy and TerraPowerANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 10, 2013, 2:59PM|ANS Nuclear CafeMicrosoft founder and extraordinary philanthropist Bill Gates is also a nuclear energy enthusiast.Go to ArticleTags:bill gatesenvironmental benefits of nuclearinnovating to zeronuclear matineenuclear newsnuclear technologyreactor designstedted talkterrapowertraveling wavetraveling wave reactorShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinee: DUFF Space Nuclear Reactor PrototypeANS Nuclear CafeNovember 30, 2012, 7:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeA 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.Go to ArticleTags:demonstration using flattop fissionsdepartment of energydufflos alamosnasanational laboratoriesnuclear matineereactor designsspace applicationsspace nuclear reactorspace reactorShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Clinch River Site will once again lead nuclear developmentANS Nuclear CafeNovember 29, 2012, 2:40PM|Will Davis(Above, Westinghouse artwork depicting the Clinch River Breeder Reactor plant as envisaged in November 1973.)Go to ArticleTags:babcock & wilcoxbechtelclinch river breeder reactorreactor designssmall modular reactorssmrtennessee valley authoritytvawill davisShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Matinee: Virtual Tour of a Nuclear Reactor in Second LifeANS Nuclear CafeSeptember 21, 2012, 6:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeToday the ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinee takes viewers on a virtual tour of an EPR nuclear power plant, in the virtual world of Second Life. EPR (European Pressurized Reactor or Evolutionary Pressurized Reactor) is a relatively new design, third-generation nuclear reactor, with units under construction in Finland, France, and China.Go to ArticleTags:arevaeprjeffrey corbinnuclear matineepwrsreactor designreactor designssecond lifeShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS to host ICAPP 2012 at annual conferenceANS Nuclear CafeJune 11, 2012, 12:45PM|ANS Nuclear CafeThe American Nuclear Society's Annual Conference, to be held June 24-28 in Chicago, Ill., will feature an embedded International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2012), ANS President Eric Loewen announced. "This international conference brings together nuclear leaders from around the world to share best practices and advance international understanding of the latest advances in nuclear power plants," said Loewen.Go to ArticleTags:lessons learnednuclear technologyreactor designsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Freeze Pilgrim debate tonight: Follow on TwitterANS Nuclear CafeApril 25, 2012, 8:00PM|ANS Nuclear CafeThis evening there will be a debate on a nuclear referendum that is on the town ballot in Plymouth, Mass. The referendum calls for a halt to relicensing the Pilgrim nuclear power plant, pending implementation of Fukushima lessons learned.Go to ArticleTags:educationfukushimalessons learnedlicensingnuclear opponentsreactor designsunion of concerned scientists (ucs)Share:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Kudankulam hot start within reachANS Nuclear CafeApril 5, 2012, 6:00AM|Dan YurmanTamil Nadu provincial government support pulls rug out from under protest groupsGo to ArticleTags:economic benefits of nuclearengineeringindianpcilnuclear opponentsreactor designsrussiaShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Matinee: Sustainable energy choices for the 21st centuryANS Nuclear CafeMarch 30, 2012, 6:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeThis video takes the stance that climate change and sustainability of the global human enterprise are two of the most critical issues of the 21st century. If we are to tackle these problems effectively, we need to make prudent, evidence-based choices about energy. This is the story told in this short animated video-the first to be featured in the ANS Nuclear Cafe "Friday Matinee" series.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyengineeringenvironmental benefits of nuclearreactor designsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Indian PM Singh claims anti-nuclear protests funded by U.S. NGOsANS Nuclear CafeMarch 1, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanKundankulam nuclear project jammed in new controversiesGo to ArticleTags:educationengineeringindiaknowledge transferlicensingnpcilreactor designsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
TVA uses supercomputers to look inside reactorsANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 23, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanA partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory will yield results for years to comeGo to ArticleTags:bwrsengineeringpwrsreactor designssmall modular reactorstennessee valley authorityShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Czechs temper expectations at TemelinANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 16, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanEurope's biggest nuclear project is chopped down from five reactors to twoGo to ArticleTags:reactor designswestinghouseShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
TVA's countdown to MOX fuelANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 26, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanThe utility is assessing options to use it Go to ArticleTags:bwrsdepartment of energylicensingmox fuelnational laboratoriesnuclear fuel cyclenuclear regulatory commissionpwrsreactor designstennessee valley authorityShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook