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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!
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Moving past Sayre’s Law on low-dose radiation
Craig Piercycpiercy@ans.org
So, President Trump has just kicked the low-dose radiation hornets’ nest.
Specifically, his recently signed executive order “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission” calls for the NRC to “reconsider reliance” on the linear no-threshold (LNT) theory and the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) standard for radiation protection.
This directive will certainly reignite a vociferous debate within the radiation research community over the continued efficacy of using LNT as the basis for protecting the public and the environment, a community that has been wracked with controversy on this matter for the last few years.
I must admit that whenever the low-dose issue comes up, my first thoughts always go to Sayre’s Law.
March 23, 2023|12:00–1:00PM (1:00–2:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
With utilities, state representatives, and a populace living through electricity reliability challenges, high energy costs, and a decades-long drive for decarbonization, the future of California's energy supplies was front and center at the state and local levels in 2022. Diablo Canyon, California's largest single source of clean energy, and its future proved a microcosm of the larger debate with an impassioned group of plant workers, representatives, advocates, and regular citizens working to end the plant's premature retirement in 2025. With 2022 in the rearview mirror and Diablo Canyon's life extended another five years beyond its previous retirement date, questions remain about what the future holds for California's electricity grid and energy debate as well as larger lessons learned. An expert panel discussed these questions and much more.
Panelists
Moderator