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The radioactive materials roadshow
30 November, 2001
The 13th PATRAM conference was held in Chicago on 3-7 September, 2001. Nearly 200 papers were presented, with coverage of a further 50 topics in the poster session. By Michael Price
Managing nuclear assets for competition
30 November, 2001
The cost structure of nuclear plants makes them - in theory - more competitive with other forms of generation in a wholesale commodity production environment. However, regulatory, management and other challenges have made them far more marginal than they were designed to be, putting their economic future at risk. By Howard Mueller and Jong-Hyun Kim
2001: a reversal of fortunes?
30 November, 2001
The year 2001 is likely to be looked back upon as a pivotal one for nuclear power. NEI reviews some of the stories that have made 2001 such an extraordinary year for the industry.
Technology for a longer life
30 October, 2001
There are a number of case histories that highlight practical examples where component life monitoring has been implemented on power plants.
Low dose radiation and its regulation
30 October, 2001
The annual Tucson meeting on radioactive waste management was held in early March 2001. To judge from its attendance – about 2500 from 40 countries – its popularity among scientists and engineers is as high as ever.
IT helps to integrate
28 September, 2001
Management of plant information involves the creation, processing and assessment of large amounts of plant data. The nuclear industry has invested heavily in IT to manage this data, including for design and construction of reprocessing plants.
The error of our ways
28 September, 2001
In every industry many accidents are said to be due to human error or human failing. While this may be true it is about as helpful as saying that falls are due to gravity.
Precision in valve position indication
28 September, 2001
Pilgrim has retrofitted a measuring system for recording movement of self-contained valves onto a replacement valve. The IPIS system monitors valve position with greater accuracy and reliability than acoustic or magnetic methods.
The next generation
28 September, 2001
At this year’s annual symposium of the World Nuclear Association, speakers agreed we are on the verge of a nuclear renaissance. Is it all just talk, or is the industry really going to put its words into action?
Past, present and future
30 August, 2001
The Nuclear Control Institute (NCI) is an independent research and advocacy centre specialising in problems of nuclear weapons proliferation. Here, NCI president Paul Leventhal explains how plutonium could cause mass destruction across the industry, and the world.
People in glass houses
30 August, 2001
BNFL brought on line its third waste vitrification plant at Sellafield, the culmination of seven years work By: LIAM PUZZAR and STEVEN TROILET
Virtual reactor inspection
30 July, 2001
British Energy has commissioned a series of interactive training modules for engineers involved with In Service Inspection of their AGRs. The training courses help to familiarise personnel with the reactor internals and robotic inspection procedures.
Investigating a site in Sweden
29 June, 2001
SKB hopes to be able to commence site investigations for a deep repository in 2002.
Russian parliament agrees to spent fuel imports
30 May, 2001
It had been thought that the decision on whether or not Russia would accept spent nuclear fuel would not be made quickly. This proved to be wrong.
The secret of VVER upgrade success
30 March, 2001
The success of VVER modernisation projects mainly depends on understanding cultural differences and being able to accept different philosophies and traditions.
Are we paying too much to reduce radiological risk?
30 March, 2001
US DoE expenditures on radiological risks are 5000 times higher than expenditures on non-radiological risks. Despite this, there have been hundreds of times more deaths from non-radiological causes at the Nevada Test Site than from radiological causes.
Past, present and future
28 February, 2001
In the first two instalments of this series NEI interviewed nuclear power veterans who helped shape the industry. Here, a relative newcomer, Rainer Molinari of Siemens Nuclear (now part of Framatome ANP) describes the outlook for the future from a different perspective.
Past, present and future
29 January, 2001
This is the second in a regular series that looks at how various individuals see the industry. In this, Dr Alan Knipe, group managing director of nuclear technology for AEA Technology, talks to NEI about his distinguished career spanning 30 years at the cutting edge of nuclear science and engineering
Cs-137 delivery “deliberately violated”
29 January, 2001
The recent discovery of a batch of incorrectly labelled nuclear waste barrels is being investigated by the relevant authorities and has put Nycomed Amersham Buchler on the defensive. The operators of a German interim waste store say that the delivery conditions for a consignment of barrels were knowingly violated. Site operators GKSS claim that a number of offences against the storage conditions were committed when the barrels were delivered to the site 20 years ago. GKSS have informed the relevant authorities who are currently investigating the allegations.
