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Division Spotlight
Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
July 2025
Nuclear Technology
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Latest News
Smarter waste strategies: Helping deliver on the promise of advanced nuclear
At COP28, held in Dubai in 2023, a clear consensus emerged: Nuclear energy must be a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. With electricity demand projected to soar as we decarbonize not just power but also industry, transport, and heat, the case for new nuclear is compelling. More than 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In the United States alone, the Department of Energy forecasts that the country’s current nuclear capacity could more than triple, adding 200 GW of new nuclear to the existing 95 GW by mid-century.
J. Uribe, N. Saraeva, K. Petry, E. Bickford, R. Kreuzer, R. Howard
Nuclear Technology | Volume 210 | Number 9 | September 2024 | Pages 1748-1753
Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2262283
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Consent-based siting is an approach to siting facilities that prioritizes the participation and needs of people and communities and seeks their willing and informed consent to accept a project in their community. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is firmly committed to a consent-based approach to siting one or more spent nuclear fuel management facilities that enables meaningful and inclusive public participation, addresses community well-being and community needs, and centers equity and environmental justice as core values. At present, nuclear energy accounts for 19% of U.S. electricity production and half of the nation’s carbon-free energy. Nuclear energy is key to achieving the Nation’s goal of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of the decade, 100% clean electricity by 2035, and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. Nuclear power will be key to achieving the Nation’s goals, as the United States strives to reduce carbon emissions; ensure energy independence; and maintain leadership in nuclear technology, safety, and security. However, the use of nuclear energy also requires an effective, integrated system for safely managing, storing, and permanently disposing of spent nuclear fuel.
Since the 1950s, approximately 90 000 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) of spent nuclear fuel has been generated from commercial nuclear power generation in the United States. This inventory grows by approximately 2000 MTHM every year. This commercial spent nuclear fuel is currently safely and securely stored at over 70 sites in more than 30 states where it is enclosed in either steel-lined concrete pools of water or steel and concrete containers known as dry storage casks. The United States also has an inventory of noncommercial spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, which makes up less than 5% of the total inventory. Management of the Nation’s spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste is the responsibility of the DOE, under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended. This responsibility includes finding sites to store and eventually dispose of this material. Per Congressional direction, DOE’s current activities are focused on establishing a federal interim storage capability for commercial spent nuclear fuel following a consent-based approach. However, a permanent disposal solution for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste will still be needed. DOE will apply lessons learned from consent-based siting for one or more interim storage facilities to future siting efforts for other elements of an integrated nuclear waste management system. An integrated waste management system will include consolidated interim storage capacity, a permanent disposal pathway, and the transportation infrastructure needed to move spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants to storage and disposal facilities. This paper describes DOE’s current progress to identify one or more sites to develop a federal consolidated interim storage capability for commercial spent nuclear fuel using a consent-based siting process.