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.
Division Spotlight
Fuel Cycle & Waste Management
Devoted to all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle including waste management, worldwide. Division specific areas of interest and involvement include uranium conversion and enrichment; fuel fabrication, management (in-core and ex-core) and recycle; transportation; safeguards; high-level, low-level and mixed waste management and disposal; public policy and program management; decontamination and decommissioning environmental restoration; and excess weapons materials disposition.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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
Oct 2024
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
November 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
A proactive approach to reactor vessel aging management
Unit 2 at the Prairie Island nuclear power plant near Red Wing, Minn., underwent an outage in fall 2023, which included extensive work on the reactor vessel using a novel approach to replace baffle-former bolts and lower radial clevis insert bolts. The work relied on extensive analysis beforehand to determine which bolts to replace such that only the new bolts were structurally credited for performance of their safety function. This proactive approach eliminated the need for costly contingencies associated with inspections.
A voluntary consensus standards program, like the one at ANS, stands on the strength and diversity of its volunteers. ANS Standards only come into existence due to the hard work, loyalty, and dedication of its volunteer network of hundreds of qualified individuals in the industry. Because of this, ANS always looks for and welcomes new volunteers to its development process.
But more than just helping ANS, participation in a standards development process helps the industry. Active participation in our committees ensures that industry standards stay current and generates ideas for new standards that are needed in the field. Your participation in standards also means that no longer do you silently wish a standard would do something for your field, now you can actually work to make sure a standard accomplishes just that.
There's someone else who also benefits from participation in our standards program: you, the volunteer. The consensus process offers an excellent network of industry experts. You not only have the opportunity to meet and work with people from a variety of backgrounds, but you have a chance to learn from their experiences. The standards development process is all about shared knowledge. Check out the Standards Committee Member Survey Summary for an estimate on time commitment, benefits of participating, and other feedback from current Standards Committee members.
ANS Standards Committee members must subscribe to the Terms of Membership/Usage.
The best way to get involved is to find a current or proposed standard in which you have an interest and expertise. ANS working groups are the actual writing committees that create the text of a standard. Alternatively, you can get connected with a subcommittee that deals with your area of expertise, and investigate if there is a need for volunteers or even propose to create a standard that's of importance to your field.
In any case, your first step is the volunteer form. Procedures of the ANS Standards Committee require that a volunteer form be kept on file at ANS headquarters.
Volunteer Opportunities by Consensus CommitteesStandards Committee Member Survey Summary
Standards Volunteer FormStandards Projects in Need of Volunteer Support
Last modified June 26, 2024, 10:27am CDT