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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.
Truong V. Vo, Bryan F. Gore, Elizabeth J. Eschbach, Fredric A. Simonen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 88 | Number 1 | October 1989 | Pages 13-20
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34332
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Some of the goals of the Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability Program sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at Pacific Northwest Laboratory are to assess current inspection requirements for all pressure boundary systems and components, to determine whether improvements to the requirements are needed, and, if necessary, to develop recommendations for revising the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and regulatory requirements. Part of the work performed in addressing this goal was the development and demonstration of a method to establish in-service inspection priorities through the use of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) results. The Oconee-3 PRA and the observed weld failure data of the nuclear plants operating in the United States are used to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems for inspection. Failure modes and effects analysis methodology is then used to identify and prioritize the most riskimportant piping sections of the Oconee-3 emergency feedwater system. Based on the results of this study, this method is demonstrated to be a useful tool for identifying systems and piping sections or welds that need to be inspected.