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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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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AI at work: Southern Nuclear’s adoption of Copilot agents drives fleet forward
Southern Nuclear is leading the charge in artificial intelligence integration, with employee-developed applications driving efficiencies in maintenance, operations, safety, and performance.
The tools span all roles within the company, with thousands of documented uses throughout the fleet, including improved maintenance efficiency, risk awareness in maintenance activities, and better-informed decision-making. The data-intensive process of preparing for and executing maintenance operations is streamlined by leveraging AI to put the right information at the fingertips for maintenance leaders, planners, schedulers, engineers, and technicians.
Steven Nesbit (Duke Energy), David Blee (U.S. Nuclear Infrastructure Council), Edward Davis (Pegasus Group), Alexander Hoppes (Areva)
Proceedings | 16th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2017) | Charlotte, NC, April 9-13, 2017 | Pages 884-888
In 2016 the U.S. Nuclear Infrastructure Council’s (USNIC) Backend Working Group issued recommendations for breaking the nuclear waste management impasse. USNIC advocates a comprehensive, durable approach that includes the following elements:
• Complete the Yucca Mountain Repository Project license application process and re-establish a dedicated Department of Energy (DOE) organization for nuclear waste management.
• Pursue options for consolidated interim storage. Private sector solutions should be encouraged, and first priority should be given to used fuel currently residing at sites with no operating reactor.
• Assure shared value for host communities. The federal government should provide the necessary resources for impact assistance, along with incentives that support the long-term mission of the site and its value to the host community.
• Implement management and funding reform. This action should begin with the establishment of a separate, politically independent but accountable federal corporation-type organization. In addition, the Nuclear Waste Fund must be restructured so the new management entity has access to both the fund’s assets and annual receipts, subject to appropriate congressional oversight.
• Prepare for transportation of used fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Near-term work should focus on assuring the availability of necessary infrastructure and capabilities to move used fuel and high-level waste to consolidated storage facilities and repositories.
• Enhance research, development and demonstration. Continued work must enable advanced reactor and backend technologies that offer the promise of improved economics, enhanced safety, improved utilization of energy resources and optimization of waste management and disposal.
