ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference 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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Aug 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2025
Latest News
Powering the future: How the DOE is fueling nuclear fuel cycle research and development
As global interest in nuclear energy surges, the United States must remain at the forefront of research and development to ensure national energy security, advance nuclear technologies, and promote international cooperation on safety and nonproliferation. A crucial step in achieving this is analyzing how funding and resources are allocated to better understand how to direct future research and development. The Department of Energy has spearheaded this effort by funding hundreds of research projects across the country through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). This initiative has empowered dozens of universities to collaborate toward a nuclear-friendly future.
H. Mazhar, C. Azih, R. David (CNL)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 849-858
Nuclear power generation contributes over 50% electricity generation in Ontario and approximately 16% in Canada. Nuclear power is a reliable and clean energy generation technology. Although the amount of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the nuclear power generation cycle is not insignificant, it is demonstrated to be much lower than that of fossil fuel energy systems. The GHG level depends on the entire cycle of the nuclear fuel which differs depending on the type of reactor and fuel used. There are several methodologies used in the literature to perform a complete nuclear life cycle assessment (LCA). Significant variations were reported due to the differences in the utilized analysis methods, different contributing phases in the life cycle, as well as the primary energy mix supplying the individual processes. The current study utilizes the process analysis method to perform a life cycle assessment of the Canadian nuclear fuel cycle and the environmental impact based on GHG emissions. The study utilizes the most up-to-date information on the energy mix, and processing methods for each phase of the cycle. This will help establish a fair comparison and to aid policy makers in deciding the future of the energy generating mix in Canada.