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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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Latest News
Digital control system installed at China’s Linglong One
Earlier this month, the first digital control system was put in place at Linglong One, a small modular reactor demonstration project being built at the Changjiang nuclear power plant in Hainan Province. This is the world’s first land-based commercial SMR and is controlled by China National Nuclear Power Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
Phuong Hoai Linh Doan (CEA), Thierry Duquesnoy (Paris Saclay Univ)
Proceedings | 16th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2017) | Charlotte, NC, April 9-13, 2017 | Pages 4-13
The deep geological repository (DGR) is generally considered as the reference solution for the definitive management of spent nuclear fuel/high-level waste (SNF/HLW). Nevertheless, countries having a small waste volume for disposal (e.g. Netherlands) often adopted the “wait and see” strategy in the hope of finding a common solution for many small nuclear industries (benefitting of the economies of scale). Others with a greater waste volume made two different choices: storage and postponed-decision, or “immediate” DGR implementation. We raise the question of the economic ground of such decisions by proposing a utility function which aggregates various costs and benefits procured by the disposal implementation decision.
The simple economic comparison of storage and disposal costs showed that it appears more favorable to extend the interim storage than to dispose of the waste rapidly. The long-timing storage for the spent nuclear fuel has been proposed by the DOEa in the US because of social and technical feasibility difficulties of the Yucca Mountain project. The same decision with a long-term storage has also been chosen in the Netherlands. By contrast, France decided a quick disposal. This decision is based rather on political/social than economic criteria to avoid over-burdening future generations. Furthermore, a quick DGR implementation would facilitate the nuclear renewal decision in France.
This analysis may help decision-makers in managing the DGR construction and commissioning schedules. It also appears a powerful mean for clarifying the differences in scheduling decisions in different countries.