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 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
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.
D. Rochman, A. J. Koning, D. F. Da Cruz
Nuclear Technology | Volume 179 | Number 3 | September 2012 | Pages 323-338
Technical Paper | Fission Reactors/Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-61
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effects of nuclear data uncertainties (cross sections, neutron emissions, fission yields, and decay data) on the burnup of a typical pressurized water reactor fuel element are presented in this paper. The uncertainties on reactivity swing, inventory, and radiotoxicity are obtained using a Monte Carlo method for nuclear data uncertainty propagation and the Monte Carlo transport code SERPENT. The impact of the nuclear data uncertainties for the two main actinide isotopes at the beginning of irradiation (235U and 238U) with the third and fourth most abundant actinide isotopes at the end of irradiation (236U and 239Pu) are calculated, showing the importance of fission yield data relative to transport data.
