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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.
Jean-Claude Alder
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 2 | August 1989 | Pages 197-206
Technical Paper | Decontamination and Decommissioning / Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34271
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In Switzerland, studies have demonstrated the feasibility of the safe disposal of all types of nuclear waste. Decommissioning wastes from the five existing Swiss nuclear plants can be classified into different types for disposal purposes, based on these studies. These wastes are assumed to be packaged in large (20-m3) containers. Requirements for the waste packages are determined and are severe for the highly radiating and heat-producing waste. Results from safety analyses of a proposed underground repository for low- and intermediate-level waste are applied to these decommissioning waste types. Expected doses from disposal of the waste in the underground repository, as well as in a near-surface repository, provide a basis for a classification of the waste for the two types of repositories. Wastes can then be allocated to appropriate disposal facilities that can provide the required degree of safety.