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2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 8–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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From renaissance to reality: Infrastructure for a global nuclear fuel cycle
Dale Klein
This article was adapted from the author’s speech during a plenary at the 21st International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM 2025), San Antonio, Texas, July 2025.
There has been a lot of discussion lately about reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. But I want to be clear: When it comes to nuclear safety and security, there is no place for partisan politics. I support efforts to streamline regulatory processes, but the independence and integrity of the NRC must remain sacrosanct. If we are serious about expanding nuclear power and reclaiming our global leadership in nuclear technology, having a strong independent regulator is fundamental.
Right now, we’re on the edge of a global nuclear resurgence driven by rising demand from data centers, growing concerns about energy security, and the need to decarbonize industry.
G. M. Wallace, C. E. Kessel, J. Hosea, R. Majeski, J. R. Wilson, T. Rognlien, L. M. Waganer
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 76 | Number 1 | January 2020 | Pages 53-61
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1629253
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper addresses the potential impact of liquid metal (LM) plasma-facing components (PFCs) for the heating and current drive (H&CD) actuators on the Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) fusion reactor. Fulfilling the high neutron fluence mission of the FSNF requires steady-state operation for extremely long pulses (months to years) between maintenance opportunities. The use of LM as a surface material is one strategy for extending the lifetime of the PFCs for long pulse operation in a high heat flux, high neutron flux environment like that of the FNSF. Liquid metal PFCs provide possible pathways forward on many difficult aspects of a fusion reactor; however, the LM PFCs also bring new challenges and unknowns with respect to the H&CD actuators needed to provide steady-state operation. The development of LM-compatible materials for radio-frequency (RF) antennas will be critical, as well as strategies for minimizing contamination of antenna surfaces and the core plasma. Successful deployment of LM PFCs on the FNSF will require operational experience with RF in a LM environment both on test stands and in an integrated toroidal environment.