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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, Doyle R. Edwards
Nuclear Technology | Volume 106 | Number 1 | April 1994 | Pages 110-124
Technical Paper | Reactor Operation | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34953
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The multiyear program entitled Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability for In-Service Inspection of Light Water Reactors, sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is being conducted at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The goals of the program are to determine the reliability of current in-service inspection of pressure boundary systems and components and to develop recommendations that can ensure a suitably high inspection reliability. The long-term objective is to develop recommendations for improved in-service inspections. In meeting program objectives, a risk-based method has been developed to guide the development of inspection plans. The method uses results of probabilistic risk assessment and failure modes and effects analysis techniques to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection at nuclear power plants. The Surry Nuclear Power Station Unit I was selected for demonstrating the methodology. The specific system addressed in this study was the high-pressure injection/recirculation (HPI/R) system. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components within the HPI/R system, which can be used to guide the development of improved inspection plans for nuclear power plants. This work will subsequently be used in supporting the revisions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ codes and standards.