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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
Meeting Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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!
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Latest News
NRC cuts fees by 50 percent for advanced reactor applicants
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has announced it has amended regulations for the licensing, inspection, special projects, and annual fees it will charge applicants and licensees for fiscal year 2025.
D. L. Porter, D. C. Crawford
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 196 | Number 1 | October 2022 | Pages S110-S122
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2021.2009983
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Fuel Performance Design Basis for the Versatile Test Reactor begins with requirements to maintain safe and efficient reactor operation. For the metal-fueled Versatile Test Reactor, this means a limited number of fuel rod breaches, no fuel melting under steady-state operation and anticipated transients, and continuity of the fuel rod and assembly configuration to avoid impacts to operations of safety systems, maintain expected coolant flow, and allow for efficient fuel handling. Using a large database gathered from previous testing, data were examined to identify and establish preliminary limits on fuel operating conditions. Fuel performance aspects important to fuel operating limits have been identified, including cladding creep, which is addressed with a cladding deformation limit to ensure a limited cladding breach. In addition, fuel-cladding chemical interaction is addressed through limits on cladding temperature and time-at-temperature for steady-state operation, transients, and accidents to mitigate effects leading to cladding breach or fuel melting. Through the implementation of these limits, cladding breach, fuel melting, and deleterious fuel rod and assembly dimensional changes will be prevented.