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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.
Samuel H. Levine, Terry L. Flinchbaugh, John L. Penkala, Daniel E. Hughes, Kenneth E. Rudy, Craig C. Faust, Ronald H. Maag
Nuclear Technology | Volume 89 | Number 2 | February 1990 | Pages 252-267
Technical Paper | Education | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34352
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A requalification program was established for the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor operators after the March 1979 accident made the TMI-2 reactor inoperable. A series of subcritical/critical experiments was presented in this requalification program using the Penn State Breazeale Reactor. The first five experiments were designed to demonstrate various conditions that might occur in the pressure vessel during the defueling program. Later this requalification program was reduced to presenting two experiments of a similar nature, but having different objectives and methods of presentation. These experiments are presented in detail, showing how this program contributed to the training of the TMI-2 operators and their successful removal of the damaged core from the TMI-2 pressure vessel.