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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.
P. Bacher, G. Beltranda
Nuclear Technology | Volume 89 | Number 3 | March 1990 | Pages 275-280
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34367
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The first Chooz B nuclear power plant, an N4 1400-MW pressurized water reactor scheduled for commissioning in 1992, represents an important step in the French nuclear program. For its construction, an integrated computer-aided design system has been set up by Electricité de France. Such a system was necessary because of the development of new microprocessor-based technologies. Indeed, this is the only way to provide consistent mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and control data, and thereby achieve a high quality level.