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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.
James J. Byrne, Robert E. Rogan
Nuclear Technology | Volume 87 | Number 3 | November 1989 | Pages 683-689
Technical Paper | TMI-2: Remote Technology and Engineering / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A27720
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) is the site of the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power history. Since the accident on March 28, 1979, TMI-2 has been undergoing cleanup activities designed to place the plant in a safe, stable, and secure postaccident configuration. At the completion of the cleanup program, the licensee, GPU Nuclear Corporation, will place TMI-2 in a configuration termed postdefueling monitored storage. A brief overview of the postaccident TMI-2 licensing history focusing on several key events, and a description of its impact on the regulatory process are presented.