ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
2022 ANS Annual Meeting
June 12–16, 2022
Anaheim, CA|Anaheim Hilton
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Dec 2021
Jul 2021
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
December 2021
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2021
Latest News
Maximizing decommissioning lessons learned
Larry W. Camper
The track record for the successful decommissioning of nuclear facilities, both nationally and internationally, is impressive. In the United States, we have decommissioned many nuclear facilities, including complex materials sites, uranium recovery sites, research and test reactors, and nuclear power plants. To date, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 10 nuclear power plants have been completely decommissioned for unrestricted use, and another 26 power reactor sites are currently undergoing decommissioning through either SAFSTOR or DECON, following NRC regulatory requirements. In addition, the Nuclear Energy Institute identifies three nuclear power plants that were successfully decommissioned outside of NRC jurisdiction. While such a track record is impressive, the nuclear industry must be vigilant in focusing on lessons learned in order to continue to make gains in efficiency, cost savings, improved environmental stewardship, and enhanced stakeholder confidence. In reviewing the outcomes of decommissioning over many years, a number of key lessons learned have emerged.
The American Nuclear Society, in partnership with Discovery Education and the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, provides the highest standard in nuclear science education with Navigating Nuclear: Energizing Our WorldTM. This dynamic, standards-aligned program invites students to explore the many applications of nuclear science and its impact on energy, healthcare, food, and the environment through an interactive suite of FREE classroom resources.
Engage your students with curriculum for grades 3 through 12 backed by the expertise of leaders in nuclear science—the members of the American Nuclear Society. Resources include STEM project starters, digital lesson plans, nuclear industry career profiles, and exciting Virtual Field Trips! Navigating Nuclear provides you with the roadmap to successfully explore this topic in the classroom and make nuclear science accessible and exciting for students!
Learn More About the Program
Designed to increase understanding of nuclear energy and nuclear technology applications, Navigating Nuclear provides you with the tools to dig deeper into the role of nuclear science in fields like power generation, medicine, space exploration, food preservation, molecular science, and more.
Guide your students through the world of nuclear energy and related fields with digital lesson plans, project starters, career resources, and more to power up the learning in your classroom!
The need for a capable workforce qualified in STEM is growing and nuclear science offers many different pathways to successful careers. Get to know nuclear science professionals and learn how their experiences led them to nuclear energy and other exciting nuclear science fields.
Navigating Nuclear Virtual Field Trips take students behind the scenes to some of the most interesting places in the world—or even in this galaxy! Tour the largest nuclear power plant in the United States. Explore Idaho National Laboratory and meet the men and women discovering solutions to our energy challenges. Or travel into deep space to imagine how humans might live on the moon, Mars, or even further!
Last modified August 17, 2021, 11:24am CDT
