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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
Shinsuke Tashiro, Gunzo Uchiyama, Takuya Ohno, Yuki Amano, Ryoichiro Yoshida, Koji Watanabe, Hitoshi Abe, Yuichi Yamane
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 3 | March 2025 | Pages 429-438
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2329832
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Contributing to the confinement safety evaluation of glove boxes (GBs) connected to high-efficiency particle air filters for radioactive materials under fire accidents, combustion tests of a flammable polymer, i.e., polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and a flame retardant polymer, i.e., polycarbonate (PC), as typical GB panel resins have been conducted with an engineering-scale combustion apparatus. Combustion properties such as the mass loss rate (MLR) and the heat release rate (HRR) of PMMA and PC were investigated in the combustion tests. From our results, the relationships of MLR and HRR to the surface area of the plate type of PMMA and PC were deduced.