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Fleet-wide Electrification Impacts Assessment for the Valley Transportation Authority

This report explores the long-term electrification opportunities for the Valley Transit Authority’s (VTA) transit bus fleet. The potential for transit bus electrification at VTA as well as the economic impacts of partial and complete electrification are explored. We use the Revenue Operation and Device Optimization model to determine the optimal charging, operation and lowest capital and operating cost solution to achieve different levels of electrification to meet their existing routes. This study finds that, relying on only depot charging, around 70% of the daily trips by VTA’s transit bus fleet can be replaced with battery electric buses (BEBs) today. The benefits and drawbacks of five methods for improving the electrification potential beyond that achievable with only depot charging are discussed including (1) increase charger power, (2) purchase of larger vehicle batteries, (3) en-route charging, (4) purchasing additional buses and swapping them to enable the existing routes/blocks1 to be met, and (5) route/block redesign. A strategy is developed to enable full fleet electrification by increasing charger power or allowing intraday charging as a proxy for the options mentioned above. This method allows us to develop an understanding of the impacts and trade-offs of full fleet electrification. Two charging strategies are examined. Immediate charging, when the bus is charged as soon as it arrives at a depot or en-route charging station, and smart charging, which uses a controller to determine the best times to charge to achieve the lowest charging cost, while maintaining the same trip schedules. Smart charging is effective at reducing the peak power consumption, which can be reduced by between 31% and 65% compared to immediate charging. This translates directly to lower electricity demand charges and lower costs for possible distribution system upgrades. The total lifetime net present value (NPV) costs for different scenarios are presented in Figure ES-1. Scenarios are separated into three sections. The first stacked bar on the left is the base case (business-as-usual) where all buses are diesel hybrids, the next four bars include partial and full fleet electrification utilizing only immediate charging, and the last four bars include partial and full fleet electrification utilizing smart charging. The results show that smart charging scenarios are within ±4% of the lifetime NPV cost of the diesel-hybrid only (business-as-usual) scenario. The scenarios with full fleet electrification (i.e., including intraday charging) are 4% lower cost and those with partial fleet electrification (i.e., without intraday charging) are 2%–3% higher. However, it is important to note that the intraday charging scenarios do not include any additional costs for the equipment necessary to achieve intraday charging (e.g., additional chargers, larger batteries, new route design). Additionally, it is worth noting that the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit received for implementing electric buses is essential to achieving these results.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Electrification Futures Study: Scenarios of Power System Evolution and Infrastructure Development for the United States

This report is one in a series of Electrification Futures Study (EFS) publications. The EFS is a multiyear research project to explore potential widespread electrification in the future energy system of the United States. Electrification is defined as the substitution of electricity for direct combustion of non-electricity-based fuels used to provide similar services. The EFS is specifically designed to examine electric technology advancement and adoption for end uses in the major economic sectors of the United States, electricity consumption growth and load profiles, future power system infrastructure development and operations, and economic and environmental implications of electrification. Because of the expansive scope and the multiyear duration of the study, research findings and supporting data will be published as a series of reports, with each report being released on its own time frame.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Valuing Residential Energy Efficiency: Analysis for a Prototypical Southeastern Utility [Slides]

The increasing amount of variable renewable energy resources and shifts towards more end-use and vehicle electrification suggests profound changes to power system planning and operation. Specifically, renewable energy is expected to shift net peak demand from late afternoon to early evening and end-use electrification may significantly increase winter peak demand. Residential energy efficiency is likely to align well with these shifts as it tends to produce savings in the early evening (e.g., from lighting measures) and coincident with heating loads (e.g., from envelope and space conditioning measures). Despite the opportunity to decrease system costs and emissions, residential energy efficiency is often limited by static valuation methods and its economic potential is considerably less than its technical potential. Using hourly residential energy efficiency characterizations, utility program cost data, and a capacity expansion model, we estimate the benefits of residential energy efficiency for a prototypical, summer-peaking utility in the Southeastern region. We first establish the cost-effective residential energy efficiency portfolio through “competition” with supply-side resources in a forward-looking capacity expansion model. Importantly, we then evaluate several scenarios intended to drive an increasing amount of cost-effective residential energy efficiency through measure cost reductions, increased customer adoption, policy goals (e.g., carbon price), and delivery of an integrated package of measures. The results quantify total system cost and emissions reductions, fossil-fuel plant retirements, and peak demand reductions. Results suggest the design and prioritization of policies and programs to access the untapped amount of cost-effective residential energy efficiency.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Development of High-Temperature Emissivity Measurement Capabilities for Molten Salts at PNNL

In this study, an emissivity measurement system for a liquid molten salt was developed on the bases on the Stefan Boltzmann Law. A prototype device operating in ambient atmosphere was constructed an initial result compared well with available literature. The diffuse emissivity of NaCl-KCl system (NaCl, 51mol% NaCl – 49mol% KCl and KCl) was measured from 550 to 850 °C at a wavelength of 1.3 µm. The system appears to be relatively invariant with composition but a clear trend of decreasing emissivity values from ~0.9 at 550 °C to 0.75 at 850 °C was observed. A schematic for an enclosed system for inert atmosphere and actinide salts was drafted. Several of the components for fabrication of this device, improved laser system, furnace, nickel for capsule construction, have been purchased and are ready for assembly. The new laser system will have an improved measurement range of 275-1000 °C. The clam shell furnace has a maximum temperature of 1200 °C and will support the hermetically sealed inert encapsulation vessels. Nickel plate and tubing will create a relatively corrosion resistance capsule for testing that can withstand temperature up to 1000 °C. Emissivity measurements are important for a larger effort to understand radiative heat transfer within molten salts at elevated temperatures (600-1000 °C). Literature review of optical salt properties and radiative heat transfer models indicated that systems within elevated temperature regimes could see upwards of 20% or more of their total heat transferred through photonic mechanisms. Ultimately, future work will measure the total thermal conductivity and break down the molecular and radiative portions. Thermal conductivity, along with other thermal properties of molten salts, both coolant and fuel, are fundamental to modeling and simulations that support MSR design. The results presented here and ongoing work at PNNL will be useful in selecting optimal salt compositions, designing reactor systems, and optimizing heat transfer within a MSR power plant.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Hydrogen Considerations Tree: Executive Deck [Slides]

The Hydrogen Considerations Tree is designed to enhance the understanding and capabilities of U.S. Agency for International Development Missions and country partners, empowering them to make informed decisions regarding potential support for hydrogen and its derivatives, such as e-fuels, hydrogen carriers, or ammonia, within their respective nations. Moreover, the Considerations Tree is designed to provide fundamental and applied information for the identification of deployment, regulation, policy priorities for hydrogen technologies in the context of each country or region. Key topics are organized into a "considerations tree," enabling stakeholders to systematically and holistically address technical, regulatory, economic, environmental, social, and analytical questions.

08 HYDROGEN↗

TEX-Hf Assemblies: Highly Enriched Uranium Plates with Hafnium Using Polyethylene Moderator and Polyethylene Reflector

This report documents the integral experiment evaluation and publication for IER-532 (TEX-Hf), Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) with highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel and hafnium (Hf), moderated and reflected by polyethylene. The design of TEX-Hf is a variation of IER-297 (TEX-HEU), with the inclusion of hafnium as a diluent material. The experiment and evaluation include seven configurations, all of which were acceptable as benchmark cases. These benchmark cases provide validation for hafnium in the thermal, intermediate, and fast neutron energy regimes by maximizing the sensitivity in k eff to the hafnium cross sections. The evaluation was reviewed and accepted by the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Technical Review Group on April 17, 2024, and was submitted to the ICSBEP in August 2024 following subgroup approval.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Godiva IV Simulated Radiation Field Characterization and Variance Reduction

Godiva IV is a system comprised of highly enriched uranium alloyed with molybdenum in the form of fuel plate rings. The reactor, along with its predecessors, was designed with the unique ability to satisfy interests in the super-prompt-critical reactor operation space. Originally, the reactor was part of the Los Alamos Critical Experiments Facility (LACEF) at Technical Area-18 (TA-18). The radiation field around Godiva at this facility was well characterized and understood. As a fast neutron system, the neutron spectrum in and around Godiva was close to a Watt Fission spectrum. The Kiva where Godiva IV was located at LACEF was made of thin, sheet metal walls which did not contribute significantly to the neutron spectrum. Following the transition of LACEF to the National Critical Experiments and Research Center (NCERC) in Nevada, Godiva-IV was moved from TA-18 to the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Part of this move brought renewed interest in radiation field characterization. The new facility introduced significant changes to the environment surrounding Godiva, and preliminary foil irradiation results suggested that the room contribution to the neutron spectrum was significant. Unlike at TA-18, a large thermal neutron signature was added to the fast spectrum from Godiva due to significant room return. A primary goal due to the additional complexity that the room return adds to the Godiva IV radiation emission spectrum was the development of an efficient Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) calculation capable of characterizing the neutron spectrum anywhere in the room around Godiva. A campaign of activation foil irradiations and analysis were completed to support the validation of the MCNP model. The modeling of these foils in MCNP can be easily done with a standard volumetric neutron flux tally. However, given the multitude of locations and reaction rates to be modeled, further steps must be taken to increase the efficiency of these calculations in MCNP. During this study, a benchmark model currently under development for Godiva IV was used. A qualitative assessment of the thermal neutron contributors was performed using spatial neutron distribution plots. Additional detail was added to the model based on the qualitative results showing the thermal spectrum’s large sensitivity to hydrogenous material. Neutron energy spectra was evaluated at discrete locations in the room around Godiva to quantify the relative contribution of various components. It was discovered that the concrete walls are the largest contributor to the thermal signature, with minor contributions from plastic components surrounding Godiva. Following these results, two different variance reduction techniques were implemented to improve the problem efficiency in these calculations. In the first approach, an F5 point detector tally was implemented in the standard Godiva IV criticality problem. The second approach involved a weight-window generator implementation with an F5 point detector tally in a fixed source problem. The weight window implementation reduced the runtime from 42739.55 minutes to 1803.34 minutes (computer time), compared to the F5 KCODE implementation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Modeling and Simulation Supporting Material Control and Accounting for Advanced Reactors: Task 2: Safeguards Modeling and Simulation Assessment

Commercial interest in advanced reactors for power production in the United States is increasing. A variety of advanced reactor designs are being developed, and many of them use non-traditional fuel forms. Therefore, the material control and accounting (MC&A) methods that will be required for these advanced reactor systems also need to be developed to ensure that the necessary safeguards are implemented. To provide information that can be leveraged to explore different MC&A approaches, three representative advanced reactor types were evaluated from a technical safeguards perspective. These reactor designs were selected to encompass common materials and configurations that could affect safeguards considerations. The three designs evaluated were a molten salt reactor (MSR), a gas-cooled reactor (GCR), and a heat pipe-cooled microreactor.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Puck and Puck/SAW Loop Seals (Final Report)

Tamper-indicating devices (TIDs), also known as seals, play a crucial role in various sectors including international nuclear safeguards, arms control, domestic security, and commercial products, by ensuring that monitored or high-value items are not accessed undetected. These devices do not block access but alert to unauthorized tampering. With adversaries' capabilities evolving, there's a pressing need for seals to advance in terms of effectiveness (e.g., better tamper indication and unique identification), and new technology can improve the efficiency of installation and verification. Passive loop seals, widely used in international nuclear safeguards to ensure that continuity of knowledge is maintained on declared items, face stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requirements that surpass those met by commercial products. The metal cup seal (Figure 1, left), a staple IAEA seal, is robust but requires significant resources for post-use verification – specifically, the seal’s unique identity can only be verified at IAEA headquarters after removal from facilities. Further, the seal has been in use for decades and seal types should periodically be replaced to counter adversarial efforts for defeating seals. In 2020, the IAEA outlined about 40 requirements for a new passive loop seal, aiming for in-situ verification, minimal external tool use, unique identification (UID), and clear tamper indication. In response, research and development efforts focused on creating a new passive loop seal that meets these criteria and in 2022 the IAEA announced the completion of the Field Verifiable Passive Loop Seal (FVPS) (Figure 1, right). Concurrently to the IAEA’s efforts, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) designed, developed, and tested two seal versions – Puck and Puck/SAW, with Puck based on the IAEA’s requirements and including a novel visually-obvious tamper response, and Puck/SAW adding additional beneficial capabilities like the ability to receive a unique identifier from a standoff distance and monitoring the wire integrity. Puck/SAW was specifically designed and developed to address sealing applications in dry spent fuel storage facilities, where the number of sealed spent fuel containers results in heavy verification burden and inspector safety issues related to radiation exposure. These efforts are described in this Executive Summary.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Microreactor Core Transportation Cask Model Description for Criticality Safety Validation Basis Assessment (Rev. 1)

Criticality safety analyses are completed on transportation casks used for microreactor whole core shipment to provide examples of models and analyses to industry, regulators, and nuclear community at large to be used in verification and validation analyses of similar applications. The microreactors considered are based on a Gas-Cooled Microreactor (GCMR) and a Heat-Pipe Microreactor (HPMR), both utilize HALEU fuel in the form of TRISO particles and various other design options considered in industry microreactor designs. Variant design options of GCMR and HPMR were also investigated to provide a wider application range for each technology. Criticality safety analyses for the GCMR and HPMR packages were performed using the CSAS6 sequence of SCALE 6.3.2 with the ENDF/B-VII.1-based continuous energy neutron libraries. Different scenarios were investigated, including normal operation and water flooded conditions to represent nominal and hypothetical accident scenarios. Sensitivity and similarity analyses are also performed using the TSUNAMI sequence of SCALE 6.3.2, and the similarity analysis uses all the experiments from the ICSBEP Handbook with Intermediate and mixed Enriched Uranium (IEU) and Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) systems, together with additional experiments that are sponsored by the DNCSH program. Many experiments were found marginally similar to the GCMR and HPMR models, with similarity index (ck) values greater than 0.8 but less than 0.9. Among all the experiments analyzed, no case has a ck value greater than 0.9, indicating that additional critical experiments might be needed to further validate the criticality safety models for microreactors transport packages.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

FY 2021 Idaho National Laboratory Site Sustainability Plan

The mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. This FY 2021 Idaho National Laboratory Site Sustainability Plan (SSP) was developed to enable and sustain Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL’s) mission to discover, demonstrate, and secure innovative nuclear solutions, clean energy options, and critical infrastructure. The SSP was developed according to the narrative requirements from the “FY 2021 DOE Site Sustainability Plan Guidance” document issued in August 2020. The SSP contains strategies and activities that will lead to continual energy, water, and waste reductions that move INL toward meeting DOE sustainability goals and requirements. The SSP summarizes energy and available fuel use reporting requirements and references criteria for instituting sustainable design. SSP requirements are integrated into each INL contractor’s Integrated Safety Management System and Environmental Management System (EMS). Finally, the Sustainability Program directives, based on this SSP, are integrated into the INL Annual Laboratory Plan Fiscal Year 2020 (INL/LTD-20-59747), and operations and acquisition systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

BETO 2021 Peer Review: 2.1.0.100 - Biochemical Platform Analysis

The objective of this project is to perform techno-economic analysis (TEA) to guide Biochemical Platform efforts, utilizing models for purposes of setting future R&D targets and tracking performance progress against those targets. Outcomes of our work are leveraged by BETO to guide program plans, as well as by other NREL/partner projects to quantify the impact of research on key technology barriers and to prioritize future efforts. This project provides high impact and relevance through establishing “bottom-up” TEA models as a basis for understanding the technical feasibility to meet “top-down” BETO cost targets. By providing a framework to translate technical performance to cost reductions in a biorefinery, our TEA models may be leveraged to maximize the efficiency of research funding towards the most economically impactful priorities, ultimately in support of BETO’s 2030 fuel cost targets below $2.5/GGE. In order to mitigate a key risk/challenge to this project in overly-constraining our analyses to a singular technology focus or TEA metric, our approach continuously re-assesses opportunities for better optimization and alternative technology pathway options, while maintaining close interaction with other BETO analysis partners. We have made numerous recent accomplishments rooted around identifying and working with the researchers to solve key technical and TEA/LCA challenges, reflected through notable improvements in State-of-Technology (SOT) updates over prior benchmarks.

biochemical↗

DOESC Remote Canister Closure System UT Inspection Couplant Solutions

The DOE Standard Canister (DOESC) Remote Canister Closure System is a remotely operated welding and inspection mechanism designed for the packaging of DOE-managed spent nuclear fuel into canisters. The ultrasonic testing (UT) inspection, included in the system, requires the use of water tanks that are opened to act as a couplant between the canister and the sensors. With the couplant, the UT inspection can guarantee accurate results determining imperfections in the weld.

12 - MGMT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTE↗

Initial steady-state core simulation capability or thermal and pool-type molten salt reactors, coupling reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, and evolving chemistry

This report presents the development and validation of an initial steady-state multiphysics capability for molten salt reactors (MSRs) under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program in Fiscal Year 2025. The framework integrates neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, species transport, and thermochemistry to capture the coupled dynamics of liquid-fueled systems. Implementation and testing were performed on two representative designs: the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), a thermal-spectrum, channeled-flow reactor, and the Lotus Molten Salt Reactor (L-MSR), a fast-spectrum, pool-type reactor. The modeling suite employs Griffin for reactor physics and depletion, Pronghorn and SAM for thermal-hydraulics, Thermochimica for chemistry, and Saline for thermophysical properties, with benchmarking and validation carried out against historical MSRE data, experimental flow-loop measurements, and reference depletion calculations from Monte Carlo codes. The framework demonstrated the ability to reproduce key reactor behaviors including temperature feedback, reactivity losses, delayed neutron precursor transport, xenon poisoning, and redox potential evolution. The results confirm the feasibility and accuracy of the coupled models in predicting steady-state and selected transient MSR behaviors. This latter ones are used in this report as a proxy indicating that the steady-state models from which the transient starts are accurate. For MSRE, validation showed good agreement with pump start-up and natural circulation tests, while for the L-MSR, benchmarking confirmed hydraulic calibration and consistency of neutronics–thermal coupling. The tools also provided new insights into species transport, noble metal deposition, and salt solidification dynamics. On the Xenon transport front, the code is validated against the steady state Xenon poisoining measurement and showed good agreement with the experimental value. Identified areas for future work include advanced void transport modeling, three-dimensional simulations, improved alloy corrosion models, and tighter integration with high-fidelity Monte Carlo codes. These developments provide a foundation for high-fidelity MSR simulations that can support reactor design optimization, safety assessments, and long-term operational strategies.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

Providing Experimental Infrastructure for Accelerating Advanced Reactor Demonstrations through the National Reactor Innovation Center

A suite of experimental infrastructure projects has been developed by the National Reactor Innovation Center to accelerate advanced reactor demonstrations and facilitate their development, addressing crucial gaps in data, materials characterization, and modeling. First, the Molten Salt Thermophysical Examination Capability (MSTEC) provides a specialized platform for post-irradiation characterization of molten salt reactor fuel, coolant salts, and structural materials, essential for supporting the design and operation of advanced reactors and future commercial molten salt reactor development and licensing. The Virtual Test Bed (VTB) complements these efforts by leveraging advanced modeling and simulation tools to evaluate reactor performance and safety. Serving as a library of reference models, the VTB offers a database of multiphysics reactor models, facilitating rapid safety evaluations and includes continuous software quality assurance, crucial for accelerating deployment while maintaining reliability. Additionally, the Helium Component Test Facility (HeCTF) addresses the need for high-temperature helium-cooled reactor component testing. As the first-of-its-kind facility in the United States, HeCTF emulates high-temperature gas reactor conditions, reducing time and cost associated with component validation, thereby accelerating reactor development. Finally, In-cell Thermal Creep Frames provide a unique solution for obtaining thermal creep data from irradiated materials, critical for materials qualification and licensing. Developed by the National Reactor Innovation Center, these compact frames enable the examination of previously irradiated materials, overcoming traditional limitations and enhancing the understanding of mechanical properties crucial for reactor development. Collectively, these experimental infrastructure projects form a comprehensive framework aimed at expediting advanced reactor demonstrations, fostering innovation, and ensuring the viability of next-generation nuclear energy solutions.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 29, No. 1, January-March 1988]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT: 1 Core History and Nuclide Inventory of the Chernobyl Core at the Time of Accident by Gerald Kirchner and Cornelius C. Noack; GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 6 Nonprescriptive Nuclear Safety Regulation: The Example of Loss of Offsite Power by M. W. Golay, V. P. Manno, and C. Vlahoplus, Jr., 20 Nuclear Power Safety Goals in Light of the Chernobyl Accident by C. Whipple and C. Starr; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 29 Containment Loads from Severe Accidents—U.S. Program by W. Kerr and M. K. Dey; PLANT SAFETY FEATURES: 36 Safety Characteristics of Modern High-Temperature Reactors: Focus on German Designs by W. Kröger, H. Nickel, and R. Schulten; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 49 Radiation Hormesis and Nuclear Safety by C. C. Congdon; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 58 Evaluation of Nonradiological Water Chemistry at Power Reactors by Harvey Zibulsky, James J. Kottan, Walter J. Pasciak, Mary Ann Castrogivanni, and Sujit Banerjee, 64 Reactor Shutdown Experience Compiled by J. W. Cletcher, 67 Operating U.S. Power Reactors Compiled by E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 85 General Administrative Activities Compiled by E. G. Silver, 94 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides by D. S. Queener, 100 Status of Power-Reactor Projects Undergoing Licensing Review Compiled by E. G. Silver, 103 Proposed Rule Changes as of Sept. 30, 1987; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 5 Northwestern University Short Course on Radiation Safety, 28 International Approach to Nuclear Safety (After Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl), 57 RPI Short Course on Modern Developments in Boiling Heat Transfer and Two-Phase Flow, 107 20th DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning Conference, 110 Third International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Power Plant Thermal Hydraulics and Operations, 108 The Authors, 111 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 28.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 29, No. 1, January-March 1988]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT: 1 Core History and Nuclide Inventory of the Chernobyl Core at the Time of Accident by Gerald Kirchner and Cornelius C. Noack; GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 6 Nonprescriptive Nuclear Safety Regulation: The Example of Loss of Offsite Power by M. W. Golay, V. P. Manno, and C. Vlahoplus, Jr., 20 Nuclear Power Safety Goals in Light of the Chernobyl Accident by C. Whipple and C. Starr; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 29 Containment Loads from Severe Accidents—U.S. Program by W. Kerr and M. K. Dey; PLANT SAFETY FEATURES: 36 Safety Characteristics of Modern High-Temperature Reactors: Focus on German Designs by W. Kröger, H. Nickel, and R. Schulten; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 49 Radiation Hormesis and Nuclear Safety by C. C. Congdon; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 58 Evaluation of Nonradiological Water Chemistry at Power Reactors by Harvey Zibulsky, James J. Kottan, Walter J. Pasciak, Mary Ann Castrogivanni, and Sujit Banerjee, 64 Reactor Shutdown Experience Compiled by J. W. Cletcher, 67 Operating U.S. Power Reactors Compiled by E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 85 General Administrative Activities Compiled by E. G. Silver, 94 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides by D. S. Queener, 100 Status of Power-Reactor Projects Undergoing Licensing Review Compiled by E. G. Silver, 103 Proposed Rule Changes as of Sept. 30, 1987; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 5 Northwestern University Short Course on Radiation Safety, 28 International Approach to Nuclear Safety (After Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl), 57 RPI Short Course on Modern Developments in Boiling Heat Transfer and Two-Phase Flow, 107 20th DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning Conference, 110 Third International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Power Plant Thermal Hydraulics and Operations, 108 The Authors, 111 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 28.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗