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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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Type One Energy, TVA ink LOI in development of fusion power in Tennessee
The Tennessee Valley Authority has issued a letter of intent to fusion energy start-up Type One Energy regarding the utility’s interest in the potential deployment of Type One Energy’s fusion power plant technology at TVA’s former Bull Run fossil plant site once it is commercially ready.
Sidney Langer
Nuclear Technology | Volume 87 | Number 1 | August 1989 | Pages 294-297
Technical Paper | TMI-2: Materials Behavior / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A27656
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The tacit assumption in early severe accident studies was that the melting of a reactor core would result in failure of the reactor pressure vessel and eventual failure of the containment building and release of fission products to the environment. This assumption was shown to be wrong by the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident in which 50% of the core melted, yet fission product release to the environment was insignificant (<5% of the noble gases). Termination of the accident and survival of the reactor vessel is attributed to the presence of water in the vessel. The quantity of water required to cool the molten core and reestablish stable core cooling is calculated. These calculations and the TMI-2 experience imply that future accident management strategies that emphasize restoration of the cooling water supply can terminate advanced severe accidents and avoid pressure vessel failure.