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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.
R G. Abrefah, P. M. Atsu, R. B. M. Sogbadji
Nuclear Technology | Volume 206 | Number 1 | January 2020 | Pages 126-132
Technical Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2019.1618130
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
As part of technology assessment of proposed commercial nuclear power reactor technologies for Ghana’s Nuclear Power Programme, the neutronic safety parameters of the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) and High Temperature Pressurized Reactor (HPR) reactor technologies are theoretically analyzed and compared. The MCNP neutronic code was employed as a computational tool to analyze the reactivity temperature coefficients, moderator void coefficient, criticality, and neutron behavior at various operating conditions. The HPR, which is still under construction and under theoretical safety analysis, showed good inherent safety features comparable to the already existing EPR technology.