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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.
Rafael de la Fuente, Javier Iglesias, Pablo G. Sedano, Pedro Mata
Nuclear Technology | Volume 142 | Number 1 | April 2003 | Pages 35-46
Technical Paper | RETRAN | doi.org/10.13182/NT03-A3372
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
IBERDROLA (Spanish utility) and IBERDROLA INGENIERIA (engineering branch) have been developing during the last 2 yr the 110% Extended Power Uprate Project for Cofrentes BWR-6. IBERDROLA has available an in-house design and licensing reload methodology that has been approved in advance by the Spanish Nuclear Regulatory Authority. This methodology has been applied to perform the nuclear design and the reload licensing analysis for Cofrentes cycles 12 and 13 and to develop a significant number of safety analyses of the Cofrentes Extended Power.Because the scope of the licensing process of the Cofrentes Extended Power Uprate exceeds the range of analysis included in the Cofrentes generic reload licensing process, it has been required to extend the applicability of the Cofrentes RETRAN model to the analysis of new transients. This is the case of the total loss of feedwater (TLFW) transient.The content of this paper shows the benefits of having an in-house design and licensing methodology and describes the process to extend the applicability of the Cofrentes RETRAN model to the analysis of new transients, particularly in this paper the TLFW transient.
