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August 24–27, 2026
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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.
Rolf Lange, Marvin H. Dickerson, Paul H. Gudiksen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 82 | Number 3 | September 1988 | Pages 311-323
Technical Paper | Radiation Biology and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/NT88-A34132
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) responded to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in the Soviet Union by utilizing long-range atmospheric dispersion modeling to estimate the amount of radioactivity released (source term) and the radiation dose distribution due to exposure to the radioactive cloud over Europe and the northern hemisphere. In later assessments, after the release of data on the accident by the Soviet Union, the ARAC team used their mesoscale-to-regional-scale model to focus in on the radiation dose distribution within the Soviet Union and the vicinity of the Chernobyl plant.
