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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
L. W. Lang
Nuclear Technology | Volume 9 | Number 2 | August 1970 | Pages 242-249
Economic | Symposium on Theoretical Models for Predicting In-Reactor Performance of Fuel and Cladding Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT70-A28813
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The power costs of three hypothetical reactor sites are analyzed to compare the site costs of conventionally fueled fast and thermal reactors with thorium-blanketed breeders and 233U fueled light-water reactors (LWR's). Since the most critical parameter is time, three case variations are considered. The site start-up is considered coincident with the commercial introduction of the fast reactor; and alternatively, where site start-up occurs jive and ten years after the commercial introduction of the breeder. The cost comparisons also consider the effect of U3O8 price increases. The value of 233U produced by thorium-blanketed breeders exceeds that of the Pu produced by 238U blanketed breeders. Since the power costs of the LWR's are lower than the breeders until the price of U3O8 increases, early development of the breeders may be contingent upon implementation of the crossed-progeny fueling.