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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Michael D. Zentner, Garill A. Coles, Ike U. Therios
Nuclear Technology | Volume 179 | Number 1 | July 2012 | Pages 70-75
Technical Paper | Special Issue on Safeguards / Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT179-70
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A working group was created in 2002 by the Generation IV International Forum for the purpose of developing an internationally accepted methodology for assessing the proliferation resistance of a nuclear energy system (NES) and its individual elements. A case study was performed by the working group using this methodology to assess the proliferation resistance of a hypothetical NES called the Example Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR). This work demonstrates how the proliferation resistance assessment methodology can be used to provide important information at various levels of details to NES designers, safeguard administrators, and decision makers. The study analyzed the response of the complete ESFR NES to different proliferation and theft strategies. The challenges considered include concealed diversion, concealed misuse, and "break-out" strategies. This paper describes the work done in performing a qualitative assessment of concealed diversion scenarios from the ESFR.