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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
A. D. Vaughn, R. I. Smith
Nuclear Technology | Volume 14 | Number 2 | May 1972 | Pages 146-152
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT72-A31129
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The plutonium concentrations in mixed-oxide fuel rods containing distinct sizes of particulate plutonium oxide have been determined using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The fuel rod enrichments were in the range 2 to 2.5 wt% in natural UO2. Individual rod enrichments were determined to within ±0.1 wt% by comparison with a known standard. Differences in plutonium iso-topic composition were discemable also, in addition to the differences in plutonium enrichment. The technique provides an inexpensive nondestructive method of determining in situ plutonium composition and content of assembled fuel rods, for purposes of quality assurance and accountability control.