ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
May 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
NRC v. Texas: Supreme Court weighs challenge to NRC authority in spent fuel storage case
The State of Texas has not one but two ongoing federal court challenges to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that could, if successful, turn decades of NRC regulations, precedent, and case law on its head.
Charles W. Forsberg, Patrick J. McDaniel, Bahman Zohuri
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 4 | April 2021 | Pages 543-557
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1785793
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Electricity markets are changing because of (1) the addition of wind and solar generating capacity and (2) the goal of a low-carbon electricity grid. The large-scale addition of wind and solar photovoltaics results in low wholesale electricity prices at times of high wind and solar output and high prices at times of low wind and solar input. Today, gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) plants burning natural gas or oil provide dispatchable electricity and provide the most economic method to match electricity production with demand. Nuclear Air-Brayton Combined Cycles (NACCs) with heat storage and a thermodynamic topping cycle enable base-load nuclear plants with sodium or salt coolants to provide dispatchable electricity to the grid and heat to industry. This capability maximizes nuclear plant revenue and enables a base-load nuclear reactor with NACCs to be a low-carbon replacement for a GTCC. The NACC power cycle, alternative heat storage technologies, and development status of the different technologies are described. The technology applies to other heat generating technologies including high-temperature concentrated solar power and future fusion systems.