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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
Philip J. Thomas, Tim Boorman
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 2 | August 1989 | Pages 111-119
Technical Paper | Decontamination and Decommissioning / Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34261
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The planning and the progress to date of the United Kingdom’s first full-scale decommissioning project, which is dismantling the Windscale Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor to stage 3 (the “greenfield” site concept), are described. The plant and the facilities that are being constructed to dismantle it are described. Methods used to separate and pack for disposal nonradioactive, low-level, and intermediate-level radioactive waste are summarized.