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.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2026
Nuclear Technology
January 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
DOE announces NEPA exclusion for advanced reactors
The Department of Energy has announced that it is establishing a categorical exclusion for the application of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures to the authorization, siting, construction, operation, reauthorization, and decommissioning of advanced nuclear reactors.
According to the DOE, this significant change, which goes into effect today, “is based on the experience of DOE and other federal agencies, current technologies, regulatory requirements, and accepted industry practice.”
D.A. O'Brien, D. Steiner
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 15 | Number 2 | March 1989 | Pages 809-814
Safety and Environment — I | doi.org/10.13182/FST89-A39794
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper presents a probabilistic approach for mechanical design problems and applies this approach to a fusion reactor first wall design analysis. The method developed is based on Response Surface Methods, developing an approximation to a consequence of interest. A probability distribution for the consequence is found by Monte Carlo sampling of the input parameters probability distribution and then using the response surface. Adopting a defined criteria for failure, a probability of the consequence exceeding the criteria is found. In this paper the method is applied to the examination of neutron wall load implications. The motivation for this work is to provide an additional tool for design development and assessment.