October 01, 2015 Nuclear science and engineering education is essential because of the unique fundamentals and design of reactor cores and radiation systems. Engineers and physicists from other disciplines cannot replace nuclear engineers, particularly on work involving reactor thermal hydraulics, nuclear materials, radiation effects on matter, etc. Nevertheless, approaching the late 1990s, enrollment in nuclear

September 21, 2015 Initiating a new build nuclear power program requires entrant states to consider a broad array of considerations, including financing arrangements, organizational and contractual structures, and stakeholder relationships. Entrant states must also pay attention to regulatory and legal frameworks, international agreements, insurance and nuclear liability, export controls, workforce development, and more. Among these,

August 27, 2015 Proponents of small modular reactors (SMRs) claim that they can improve the economics of nuclear power by reducing upfront capital costs, decrease times for reactor construction, and expand possibilities for siting and locating nuclear plants. SMRs can theoretically be mass produced in factory settings, and have much smaller footprints than conventional light

July 31, 2015 Decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) should be conducted in a manner consistent with placing utmost priority on the safety of workers, the public, and the environment. Perhaps the major cost driver for D&D activities is the volume of material that needs to be disposed of as radioactive waste; thus, reduction of this volume

International Fast Reactor R&D Cooperation: Advantages, Challenges, and Possible Roadmaps June 25, 2015 Fast neutron reactor technology has received significant interest from numerous nuclear power countries given its inherent advantages in terms of safety, sustainability, and uranium utilization. Collaboration in fast reactor RD&D, particularly in bilateral or multilateral arrangements, present opportunities to address both policy

Sustainable Nuclear Energy for the Future: Improving Safety, Economics, and Waste Management May 28, 2015 Although today's commercial light water reactor technology will be the cornerstone of the nuclear power industry in the upcoming decades, Generation IV technologies have the potential to significantly push the envelope on passive safety, resource utilization, and fuel cycle optimization.

April 30, 2015 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to finalize rules for its Clean Power Plan, governing new and existing sources under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. EPA plans to set standards, regulations, and guidelines to address carbon pollution from power plants. Although U.S. nuclear power plants provide 63% of U.S.

March 26, 2015 Although the Gyeongju Low-to-Intermediate Level Waste (LILW) Repository has been cleared to begin operations, the path towards siting and establishing the repository was tortuous and fraught with numerous difficulties. Although the Korean government took various approaches towards repository siting, including basing siting decisions solely on geological and technical factors, targeting remote and