ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Mar 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
April 2026
Latest News
NRC approves TerraPower construction permit
Today, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it has approved TerraPower’s construction permit application for Kemmerer Unit 1, the company’s first deployment of Natrium, its flagship sodium fast reactor.
This approval is a significant milestone on three fronts. For TerraPower, it represents another step forward in demonstrating its technology. For the Department of Energy, it reflects progress (despite delays) for the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). For the NRC, it is the first approval granted to a commercial reactor in nearly a decade—and the first approval of a commercial non–light water reactor in more than 40 years.
V. F. Baston, K. J. Hofstetter, Richard F. Karuhn
Nuclear Technology | Volume 83 | Number 2 | November 1988 | Pages 216-227
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT88-A34164
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Defueling operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 involve underwater plasma arc cutting of reactor vessel stainless steel components. Sampling and analysis of released off-gases and aerosols during steady-state plasma arc cutting tests established a conversion fraction of nitrogen-to-nitrogen oxides, off-gas composition, and aerosol concentrations for engineering evaluations of potential health and safety and corrosion issues. The sample results indicate that (a) <1 vol% of nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides, (b) the airborne particulate concentrations for the major steel components (chromium, iron, nickel, etc.) could exceed the threshold limit values without off-gas capability, (c) the volume percent hydrogen could exceed its lower flammability limit without off-gas capability, and (d) there is low corrosion potential for off-gas system components for the given torch operations.