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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
Meeting Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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
Report: New York state adding 1 GW of nuclear to fleet
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has instructed the state’s public electric utility to add at least 1 gigawatt of new nuclear by building a large-scale nuclear plant or a collection of smaller modular reactors, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Guillaume Martin (CEA)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 113-117
Scenarios of the evolution of the French nuclear fleet are developed by CEA, EDF, ORANO and FRAMATOME, following conservative assumptions in terms of technology, safety, regulation and costs. In the next decades, the SFR demonstrator ASTRID paves the way to the deployment of a few fast reactors used to consume PWR MOX spent fuel in priority. In the 2090 to 2120 period, the number of SFR goes on growing. The fleet eventually comes to a mix of breeder SFR and EPR (European Pressurized water Reactor) supplied with LEU and MOX fuels. Such a fleet composition enables the stabilization of spent fuel and plutonium inventories. Previously, a steady-state regime was reached in the next century, thanks to a fleet composed of ~40% SFR.
A new methodology has been applied. This methodology was recently developed to put into equations the equilibrium conditions of nuclear power systems composed of various reactor types. Fleets with the less SFR are now favored, since SFR are reputed to be more expensive than thermal reactors. Results show that the fraction of SFR in the fleet can be reduced of around 10% in comparison to the fleet previously deployed. However, the fleet composition which minimizes the SFR fraction at equilibrium leads to plutonium contents in EPR MOX fuels near the safety limit which is currently accounted for.