Recent Past Meetings of the DC ANS Local Section
Steve Nesbit
ANS President for 2021-2022
June 30, 2021
“Updates on Nuclear Policy and the American Nuclear Society ”
Mike Little
Dominion Engineering, Inc.
September 23, 2020
“High-Efficiency Ultrasonic Fuel Cleaning (HE-UFC)
Industry Experience & Adaptations in the COVID-19 Era”
Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar
President American Nuclear Society
Associate Dean – College of Science & Engineering,
Idaho State University
June 25, 2020
Part 1. Strategic Changes for ANS
Part 2. Nuclear, It’s Criminalization, and LNT
Daniel B. Poneman
President & CEO
Centrus
October 3, 2019
“A Nuclear Turning Point”
Craig Piercy
ANS Washington Representative
American Nuclear Society
August 29, 2018
“Nuclear Energy: Policies, Politics, and Paths Forward“
John E. Kelly
Vice-President / President-Elect
American Nuclear Society
May 8, 2018
“Perspectives on the Future of Nuclear Power in the United States“
Maria Korsnick
President and Chief Executive Officer
Nuclear Energy Institute
October 10 2017
“National Nuclear Energy Strategy – Power the Extraordinary“
View Presentation (Coming Soon)
Photo of ANS-DC attendees at October 10, 2017 dinner meeting at NEI:
Mr. John E. Kelly
Chief Technology Officer
Office of Nuclear Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
September 12 2017
“Perspectives on the Future of Nuclear Power in the United States“
Mr. Robert Coward
Incoming President – American Nuclear Society
Principal Officer, MPR Associates, Inc.
May 17, 2017
“Nuclear Power Looking Forward: The Opportunity and the Implications“
Dr. Eben Mulder
X-Energy Nuclear Officer
Harlan Bowers
X-Energy President
April 5, 2017
“X-Energy and the Xe-100“
Donald Hoffman
President & CEO Excel Services Corporation
Past President of the American Nuclear Society
October 19, 2016
“Presidential Candidates Positions on Nuclear Power“
Donald Hoffman
President & CEO Excel Services Corporation
Past President of the American Nuclear Society
September 21, 2016
“Preserving the Nuclear Reactor Fleet in the US“
Gene Grechek
President
American Nuclear Society
Dr. Andrew Klien
Vice-President/President-Elect
American Nuclear Society
May 18, 2016
“Possibilities for the Future of Nuclear Energy in U.S. and the World“
Dr. Michaele Brady Raap
President
American Nuclear Society
May 12, 2015
“Improving the Conversation About Nuclear Science and Technology”
Click here for Dr. Raap’s full bio:
http://www.dcsection.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ANS-bio-sheet-Mikey-Brady-Raap.pdf
Dr. Robert Dimeo
Director
NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR)
and
Dr. Timothy Koeth
Director
UMD Nuclear Reactor and Radiation Facilities
April 2015
“The Current and Future State of Technology in Reactor and Radiation Facilities at NIST & UMD”
On 15 April 2015, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held their first panel discussion of the business calendar.
Robert Dimeo, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Neutron Research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NCNR is a national user facility for neutron scattering on the NIST Gaithersburg campus.
Click here for Dr. Dimeo’s full bio.
View Dr. Dimeo’s NCNR Presentation
More information about the NIST Center for Neutron Research can be found at:
Timothy Koeth, Ph.D., is the Director of the Radiation Facilities at the University of Maryland. The UMD Radiation Facilities consist of the Maryland University Training Reactor (MUTR), a Co-60 gamma irradiator, and two electron linear accelerators. These facilities are housed in the Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building on the College Park Campus.
Click here for Dr. Koeth’s full bio.
View Dr. Koeth’s UMD Presentation
More information about the UMD Nuclear Engineering Facilities: Laboratories and Equipment can be found at:
http://www.ennu.umd.edu/facilities.html
Mr. Steve Nesbit
Director of Nuclear Policy & Support
Duke Energy
March 2015
“New Nuclear – A Regulated Utility’s Perspective”
Click here for Mr. Steve Nesbit’s full bio:
http://www.dcsection.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SP-Nesbit-Bio-2015-02-with-pic.docx
Dr. Page Stoutland
Vice President: Scientific and Technical Affairs
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)
January 2015
“2014 Nuclear Materials Security Index”
On 13 January 2015, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held their first dinner meeting of 2015. At this meeting, Dr. Page Stoutland presented NTI’s 2014 Nuclear Materials Security Index. The 2014 Nuclear Materials Security Index is the second edition of NTI’s public assessment of nuclear materials security conditions around the world. The NTI Index was created to assess the security of weapons usable nuclear materials around the world and to encourage governments to take actions and provide assurances about the security of the world’s deadliest materials.
Dr. Page Stoutland is NTI’s vice president for scientific and technical affairs. He joined the Nuclear Threat Initiative in 2010. He is responsible for NTI’s scientific and technically related projects designed to strengthen nuclear security around the world. Current themes include promoting improvements in nuclear materials security through the NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index, strengthening technical cooperation with China and working to strengthen cyber-security at nuclear facilities.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a mission to strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and to work to build the trust, transparency, and security that are preconditions to the ultimate fulfillment of the Non-Proliferation Treaty’s goals and ambitions.
Click here for Dr. Page Stoutland full bio:
www.nti.org/about/leadership-staff/page-stoutland
More information about the Nuclear Threat Initiative can be found at:
More information about the 2014 Nuclear Materials Security Index can be found at:
The Honorable William C. Ostendorff
Commissioner
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
December 2014
“Current Issues at NRC”
On 15 December 2014, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held their final dinner meeting of 2014. At this meeting, Commissioner Ostendorff gave a poignant and timely update to the most pressing issues at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The Honorable William C. Ostendorff was sworn in for a second term as a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on July 7, 2011, to a term ending on June 30, 2016. His first term was from April 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment. The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements.
Click here for Commissioner Ostendorff’s full bio:
www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/ostendorff.html
More information about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can be found at:
Craig Piercy
Managing Director of Federal Relations
Bose Public Affairs Group
November 2014
“The 2014 Midterm Elections and Nuclear Policy”
On 18 November 2014, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held their third dinner meeting of the business year. At this meeting, Mr. Piercy gave an insightful update to the potential impact the 2014 Midterm Elections may have on Nuclear Policy in America.
Craig heads the Washington D.C. office of Bose Public Affairs Group as managing director of federal relations. He brings nearly 20 years of experience as a congressional Chief of Staff, House Appropriations Committee staff member, and government relations professional to the task.
The Bose Public Affairs Group is a comprehensive government affairs and strategic communications consulting firm dedicated to successfully navigating clients through the many pathways of political, legislative, regulatory, communications and media environments. Our reputation is built on results, achieving the outcomes clients expect through experience, leadership, relationships and discipline.
Click here for Craig Piercy’s full bio:
http://www.ans.org/pi/media/wmkit/bios/i-cpiercy/
More information about the Bose Public Affairs Group can be found at:
http://www.bosepublicaffairs.com
Vice Admiral (Ret) Joe Leidig
Corbin A. McNeill Endowed Chair in Engineering
U.S. Naval Academy
October 2014
“A Look Back at the History of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program”
On 15 October 2014, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held their second dinner meeting of the business year.
VADM (Ret) Joe Leidig, the Corbin A. McNeill Endowed Chair in Engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy, gave a wonderful presentation titled, “A Look Back at the History of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program”. From its origins following WWII, under the leadership of Admiral Rickover, to today’s modern Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, VADM Leidig guided us through a rich history of ingenuity, innovation, and leadership with an unparalleled record in security, reliability, and safety.
VADM (Ret) Joe Leidig is the third endowed professor to hold the Corbin A. McNeill Chair in Naval Engineering in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the US Naval Academy. In addition to teaching in the Mechanical Engineering Department, VADM Leidig serves as a mentor to midshipmen for nuclear–related capstone projects, develops seminars & workshops centered on nuclear energy, and pursues sponsorship for faculty & midshipmen research. He has previously served at the Naval Academy as the 80th Commandant of Midshipmen from 2003-2005. VADM Leidig’s Navy operational tours included service in both attack and ballistic missile submarines culminating with assignment as Commanding Officer of USS Cavalla (SSN 684) where his crew earned two Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Navy Battle Efficiency E.
The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program provides militarily effective nuclear propulsion plants and ensures their safe, reliable and long-lived operation. This mission requires the combination of fully trained U.S. Navy men and women with ships that excel in endurance, stealth, speed, and independence from supply chains.
Click here for Vice Admiral Joe Leidig’s full bio:
http://www.dcsection.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USNA-Bio.docx
More information about the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program can be found at:
http://nnsa.energy.gov/aboutus/ourprograms/powernavy2
Dr. Jane LeClair
Chief Operating Officer
National Cybersecurity Institute
September 2014
Cybersecurity in a Nuclear World
On 9 September 2014, the Washington, D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society, held the first dinner meeting of the business year.
Dr. Jane LeClair, the Chief Operating Officer of the National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College gave a presentation titled “Cybersecurity in a Nuclear World”. The National Cybersecurity Institute (NCI) is an academic and research center located in Washington D.C. dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cybersecurity policy, technology and education.
The NCI is shaping a coordinated effort to build the cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cyber security policy. The NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice in specific sectors, including health care, finance, energy utilities, telecommunications, education, and training. Excelsior College Cybersecurity Programs are certified to meet the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Training Standards. NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice and increase knowledge of cybersecurity to help meet workforce demands with analysis of specific sectors.
More information about the National Cybersecurity Institute can be found at:
http://www.nationalcybersecurityinstitute.org
Mr. Donald Hoffman (ANS President)
President/CEO
Excel Services Corporation
May 2014
My Vision for ANS: Initiatives and Status
The May 22 ANS DC meeting was well attended. We had three major items on the agenda, announcement of local section election results, celebration of local science fair winners, and Donald Hoffman’s discussion of his work to reform ANS this year.
The ANS DC section election results are in. Thanks to all who voted! Vice-Chair, Chair Elect – Jim Behrens; Secretary – Ed Kee; Treasurer – Suzanne Schroer; Executives-at-Large – Michael Cullingford and Kevin Witt.
ANS DC section judges participated in three local science fairs this spring, selecting several projects for recognition. We invited the first-place winners and their parents to the May meeting. This year, all three of the winners were young women.
The winners were:
- Anusha Dixit – Montgomery County – her project involved the influence of panel temperature and photovoltaic panel output;
- Kirsten Eddy – Howard County/STEM – her project was “Expressed Sequences Linked to the Translational Regulation of RuBisCO in Biofuels Production”; and
- Stephanie Durham – Fairfax County – Her project involved studying the effect of beta and gamma radiation (using sources at Catholic on plant growth and on aerogel transparency. Stephanie teamed with Derek Boylan on this project, but Derek was unable to attend last night’s dinner. Importantly, the results of the project showed that low levels of radiation resulted in taller plants.
We then had a presentation from Donald Hoffman, who explained his work this year to move the American Nuclear Society into the 21st Century. We had a presentation from Donald last year on his agenda for ANS and it was very interesting to hear about the progress made as Donald’s term as head of ANS is ending. Donald’s slides, delivered with his usual high level of energy and intensity, are attached. We all need to thank Donald for his hard work and dedication to ANS.
Dr. Werner Lutze
Catholic University of America (CUA)
April 2014
“CUA Vitreous State Laboratory and the CUA Master’s Program in Nuclear Environmental Protection”
On 23 April 2014, Dr. Werner Lutze, Director of the Nuclear Environmental Protection Program at Catholic University of America (CUA), gave a talk on the CUA’s Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL) and the CUA Master’s Program in Nuclear Environmental Protection (NEP).” Dr. Lutze provided an overview of vitrification science and technology, described the vitrification facilities used at (or planned for) Savannah River, Hanford, and other sites; discussed the issues faced with vitrification of nuclear waste; outlined the history and activities of the CUA VSL laboratory; and provided an overview of the CUA NEP Master’s Program.
Kenji Tateiwa
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)
February 2014
“Fukushima”
From March 2011 to September 2011 with TEPCO H/Q, Fukushima Response International Team; dealt with the Fukushima accident from day one, playing a key role as liaison between nuclear experts from the U.S. and other countries with TEPCO. In September 2011, he became the Manager, Nuclear Power Programs at TEPCO Washington DC Office and leads collaborative efforts with the U.S. nuclear sector on Fukushima response and hosts weekly update teleconference on Fukushima matters.
Click Here to see earthquake video shown during the presentation
John E. Kelly
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactor Technologies
U.S. Department of Energy
December 2013
Generation IV Reactor International Efforts
Deputy Assistant John E. Kelly discussed worldwide development participation in Generation IV reactors, from the DOE point of view. Topic covered included basic operation principals of various Generation IV reactors, as well as current construction of Gen IV reactors in China and Russia.
Commissioner William C. Ostendorff
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
October 2013
A Status Report on the U.S. Nuclear Program
Commissioner Ostendorff gave his views on current events in the U.S. nuclear power industry, from the NRC point of view. Topics covered included Operating Reactors; New Reactors; and High Level Waste.
The economics of nuclear power has been changed by the shift in the natural gas industry and the working of electricity markets, resulting in the closure of Kewaunee and the planned closure of Vermont Yankee. Crystal River and SONGS have closed because of the significant risks of major repair programs.The Vogtle and Summer projects well along in their construction programs. Several small modular reactor projects are moving ahead also.Yucca mountain is under legal review and its future is uncertain. The Waste Confidence Rule process is moving ahead, with only one major Commission decision likely to be delayed (Indian Point license renewal).Commissioner Ostendorff also answered a range of questions from the audience.
Dr. Mark H. Whitnall
AFRRI Scientific Advisor
Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
September 2013
How Does Science Work?
Dr. Mike Corradini
ANS President
Wisconsin Distinguished Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison
May 2013
Year in Review – What’s on the Horizon for Nuclear?
The May meeting for DC-ANS is traditionally a time for awards, and this year was no different!
On May 7, David Ebert and Lewis Battist were recognized for 50 years with the Society. Farideh Emami Saba and Nigel Mote were honored for 25 years with the Society. Additionally, Catherine Barr, Ian Nakayama, and Henry Love and Julian Thomassie were recognized as the DC-ANS Science Fair winners (DC, Fairfax, and NOVA, respectively). They all gave an impressive snyopsis of their winning projects. After handing out the awards, Dr. Mike Corradini, ANS President, spoke about the future of nuclear power and what role ANS can play in ensuring that nuclear is an option for the US in the future. He also discussed changing the perspective for nuclear from “controlling it” to “XXX.” After his presentation, Dr .Corradini answered questions from the audience about a variety of topics including the importance of energy diversity and keeping nuclear in the US’ energy portfolio.
Dr. Philippe M. Bardet
Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
The George Washington University
April 2013
Nuclear Energy, Physics, Chemistry, and Non-Proliferation Research and Education at the George Washington University
On April 11, Dr. Philippe Bardet, Assistant Professor at George Washington University, spoke at an intimate gathering of DC-ANS. Dr. Bardet spoke about nuclear energy, physics, chemistry, and non-proliferation research and education at the George Washington University. Dr. Bardet not only discussed work at the University as a whole, but also discussed work that his students are currently doing. After his presentation, Dr. Bardet answered questions from the audience about his research and perhaps got a few new ideas from the audience as well. Dr. Bardet provided an exciting look into the future of nuclear science and technology!
Luis Echávarri
Nuclear Energy Agency
Director-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
March 2013
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
On March 12, Mr. Luis Echávarri, Director-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), addressed a sold out crowd at the DC-ANS dinner meeting. Echávarri spoke about the NEA’s mission, strategic plan, and organization. He also discussed a couple key projects the NEA is involved in, as well as NEA’s goals for the next few years. Echávarri ended his presentation by talking about factors that will affect the future of nuclear power. There were over 60 people in attendance. After his presentation, Echávarri answered questions from the audience, and the audience enjoyed this opportunity to get to know more about the NEA.
Darshak Dholakia & Ajay Kuntamukkala
Hogan Lovells US LLP
February 2013
US Nuclear Export Controls, and Proposed Changes on the 810 Agreement
Dr. John E. Kelly
Department of Energy/Office of Nuclear Energy
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactor Technologies
January 2013
US Nuclear Export Controls, and Proposed Changes on the 810 Agreement
Allison M. Macfarlane
Chairman, USNRC
December 2013
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
On December 6, the Honorable Allison Macfarlane, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, spoke at the DC-ANS dinner meeting. Macfarlane spoke about the Waste Confidence Decision, the status of post-Fukushima activities at the NRC, and her initial observations from her first few months at the NRC. There were over 40 people in attendance. After her presentation, Macfarlane answered questions from the audience about a range of topics including how new seismic information will affect licensees, the status of small modular reactors, and her thought’s on ASME’s proposed nuclear safety construct. The audience enjoyed this opportunity to get to know the new Chairman.
Donald Hoffman
President Excel Services & Vice President ANS
November 2012
Report from ANS & Post Election Wrap-up: What does it mean for nuclear energy?
Dr. Mohammad Modarres
Minta Martin Professor of Engineering
Director, Reliability Engineering Program
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland
October 2012
Safety Aspects of SMRs: A PRA Perspective
On October 25, Dr. Mohammad Modarres from the University of Maryland, spoke at the DC-ANS dinner meeting. Modarres spoke about the safety aspects of small modular reactors from a probabilistic risk assessment perspective. There were 30 people in attendance. During his presentation, Modarres answered questions from the audience about the design of helical steam generators, integrated reactor coolant pumps, hydrogen generation during severe accidents, instrumentation, and control room dynamics. The presentation was a great beginning to a new DCANS year.
Dr. George Apostolakis
Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
April 2012
Opportunities and Challenges for Accident Risk Assessment and Management
Masaya Yasui
Deputy Director General for Nuclear Safety Regulation Reform
Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI)
March 2012
Causes and Countermeasures: The Accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations
Approximately 125 people attended the March 13, 2012, ANS DC Local dinner meeting to hear Masaya Yasui, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of the government of Japan, detailed presentation about the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident(s) after the March 2011 tsunami event. Mr. Yasui is the head of the METI Nuclear Safety Regulation Reform section, which has the mandate to investigate the Fukushima accident progression, issues caused by the hydrogen explosions, and examine the countermeasures used by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) nuclear plant engineers to cool the Fukushima Daiichi reactor cores, and get the situation stabilized. The details provided by Mr. Yasui were very extensive and included: accident sequence information, details about the on-site and external power supply systems, containment and confinement structures’ venting, dose measurements, cooling system details, seismic accelerations observed, information about the spent fuel pool in Unit 4, and how data was obtained under the extreme conditions during and after the initial accident phases. The pictures of the devastation were amazing, especially photographs of the destruction of the off-site power transmission equipment and switchyard air-blast breaker insulators. The details presented by Mr. Yasui were fascinating and gave attendees the perspective on how much the TEPCO engineers had to handle during the early phases of the accident and how much effort it will take to restore the plant from the earthquake and flooding caused by the tsunami. The slides, chocked full of numerical data and details, provide new and more comprehensive information about the events, and are available on the link given here.
The attendance for this event broke recent ANS DC Local Section records for the NRC auditorium, so that the organizers had to limit the number of members signed up for the sit-down dinner hour, and request that others come later just for the presentation part. Several Japanese dignitaries and guests, NRC and DOE VIPs, and out-of-town visitors came as a result of the publicity for our local section’s event targeted towards those who were also attending the NRC Regulatory Information Conference meeting. Everyone expressed their appreciation for Mr. Yasui’s willingness to provide so much information during his presentation, and answer the many questions posed afterwards.
Steven Freel
Vice President/Chief Technology Officer, GSE Systems
February 2012
Simulation and Training Solutions for the Nuclear Power and Other Industries
Jack Edlow
Edlow International Company
January 2012
Edlow International Company: Transportation of Radioactive Materials
Approximately 25 people attended the January 24, 2012, ANS DC Local dinner meeting to hear about the 50-year history of Edlow International, their radioactive shipment experience, and the challenges involved with transporting nuclear materials worldwide. Jack Edlow’s enthusiasm and sense of humor shone brightly as he described the types of shipments, modes, extenuating circumstances, and circuitous routes needed. He explained using a nuclear fuel cycle diagram that Edlow “does the arrows” between each step. Jack’s 40 years of experience and his staff’s capabilities have been able to handle difficult situations, including re-routing and changing transportation modes because of earthquakes (Chile), possible ambush situations (Bogota, Columbia), and handling communications and finding safe havens for US truck shipments on 9/11/01. Jack has had to deal with Greenpeace activists and politicians who threatened to block train shipments, governmental agency “red tape” and differences in international rules and regulations. Edlow International’s outstanding safety record, dependability and “hands on” service have provided the nuclear enterprise 50 years of excellent service. Jack’s “war stories” were fascinating and gave attendees new and fresh perspectives on all of the gritty details and planning needed to ship any nuclear materials, anywhere, by any way. Everyone enjoyed Jack’s delightful presentation and was actively engaged during the lively Q&A session.
David Skeen
Director, Japan Lessons-Learned Project Directorate
November 2011
NRC Response to Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident
On November 16, David Skeen of the NRC, Director, Japan Lessons-Learned Project Directorate, spoke at the DC-ANS dinner meeting (in a last minute speaker change that day). Skeen spoke about the NRC’s response to the events at Fukushima Daiichi, and future plans for addressing lessons learned from the event. There were over 60 people in attendance. After his presentation, Skeen answered questions from the audience about how the NRC is addressing multi-unit accidents (still being reviewed since single unit accidents have been the status quo), communication on the evacuation zone after the accident (the NRC made a conservative, but justified, choice), and his view on land contamination (will have to be addressed by Commission policy).
Anthony Pietrangelo
Senior VP & Chief Nuclear Officer, NEI
October 2011
U.S. Industry Leadership in Response to Events at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Joe Colvin
President, ANS
May 2011
Nuclear Progress: Seizing the Opportunities
The May 10 meeting of the DCANS had a great turnout with over 50 people in attendance. The meeting began with awards galore. David Black, Ray Daniels, and Rolland Langley were honored for 50 years with the Society, and Harry Felsher and Dennis Morey were presented certificates for 25 years. Travis Latchman was recognized as the winner of the Prince George’s County Science Fair. Travis also gave a short synopsis of his research, which awed the crowd (especially since he’s only a sophmore in high school!). The speaker for the evening was Joe Colvin, President, National ANS. Colvin spoke about what ANS National is doing and how we can find out more information about their involvement. The future of nuclear power was discussed, as well as the development of new reactor designs (specifically the AP1000) around the world. He also spoke about how National ANS was (and is) a player following the events in Japan. After Colvin’s speech, a Q&A session was held and questions were asked on improvements ANS National is making in their media relationships following the events in Japan, the status of the reactors in Japan, the plant design of the Japanese reactors, if new BWRs will be built after the events in Japan, and if the event in Japan is actually building support from some outside the nuclear community. Interestingly enough, the answer to last question is yes because many (especially incoming students) are viewing the events as a wonderful learning experience.
View presentation
View Photos of the Meeting
Finis Southworth
Chief Technology Officer, AREVA NP Inc
April 2011
High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors — Needed now, more than ever!
The DC-ANS Dinner Meeting on April 12 was a successful event with over 40 people in attendance. Finis Southworth was the presenter; he is the chief technology officer for Areva. Finis talked about the background of the NGNP program and had a slide with the sponsors of the program. Some recent additions to the coalition included Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC) and SGL. The reason for the petroleum industry interest is because of the high temperatures used in the reactors and their applicability to recovery of oil from tar sands in Canada. Other energy-intensive users include petro-chemical refining, chemical suppliers, such as DOW and Eastman, and fertilizer/ammonia companies, e.g. Potash, who would seek to reduce their dependence on imported oil. These companies would use the NGNP gas reactor technology to supply electricity, process heat or steam, and collocate the nuclear plant next to their industrial sites.
Finis went over the key features of the Areva High Temperature Reactor (HTR), which includes the passive cooling features of the system. Finis highlighted the ability of the reactor to be cooled without power which means that a situation like that in Japan could not occur in one of these reactors. The presentation also covered the needs and economic perspective from the Dow Chemical Company, as the presentation was created by the Dow liaison. Dow is interested to use one of these reactors for some of their major chemical processing plants, where right now they are using coal power which results in the release of a large load of greenhouse gases. Finis pointed out that this technology can be competitive with natural gas, if using the larger combined size of the reactors. The last slides of the presentation were focused on the recent Japanese event and it was interesting to note that the Areva HTR would be immune to a lot of the problems that were experienced at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Additional Reference: INL/EXT-10-19037, High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Projected Markets and Preliminary Economics August 2010
André-Claude Lacoste
Chairman, French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN)
March 2011
Towards a European Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Regulatory Approach
On March 10, DC-ANS held a dinner meeting in the auditorium of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission featuring Andre-Claude Lacoste, Chairman of the French Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ASN). Mr. Lacoste spoke about progress towards a European regulatory approach for safe use of nuclear power and materials. If records existed this meeting probably set an attendance record. We had 80 people in attendance. DC-ANS was pleased to welcome members of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Northeast Chapter and a large group of international attendees who had been participating in the NRC’s Regulatory Information Conference.
Mr. Lacoste provided the audience with a brief overview of the ASN. It was interesting to note that ASN has a five-member Commission and only around 450 staff. They have a separate technical arm to support the regulatory process, with around 400 people. Despite having only one-fourth the staff of the NRC, ASN is responsible for 125 nuclear sites (power plants and fuel cycle sites) and use of radioactive materials in France. France has a complete fuel cycle, including reprocessing plants. Mr. Lacoste discussed how European regulatory agencies had gradually started forming non-binding organizations (clubs, as he called them) to start working together on improving safety. Out of these organizations came the desire to create a regulatory framework for safety that could be applied throughout Europe. Mr. Lacoste discussed the basis for this approach and some of the difficulties encountered when trying to reconcile different regulatory approaches across the European Union. He presented the three pillars of nuclear the European approach for safety – bilateral cooperation, networks of regulators, and legislation. This becomes even more complicated considering the different technologies used for reactors across Europe. In spite of challenges, much progress has been made towards developing the legal and technical frameworks. Mr. Lacoste also predicted that a unified Europe regulatory approach would work well with the US as an equal partner in improving nuclear safety. After the presentation, Mr. Lacoste responded to questions from the audience on a variety of topics. Overall, it was a great meeting and wonderful to see so many in attendance!
Ed Kee
VP, NERA Economic Consulting
February 2011
The Global Nuclear Power Market: Asia [China!] Leads the Way
On Tuesday, Feb 15, DC-ANS held a dinner meeting at the Far East Restaurant featuring Edward Kee, Vice President of NERA Economic Consulting to speak about global nuclear power development. We had 42 people in attendance. Before the presentation, we conducted some section business. A proposal was offered to amend the local section rules to allow for electronic voting. After some discussion, the matter was put to a vote and all local members in attendance voted to approve the amendment. After the vote, the section presented an award to Kaushik Chatterjee in recognition of his submitted paper for the DC-ANS Paper Competition. Kaushik won the competition and the local section gave him an award and a check for $500. We also announced that Kaushik had won the DCCCEAS paper competition which was a much broader competition, and he will receive an award at the annual engineering week banquet on February 26.
After the business portion, the speaker started his presentation. Ed spoke about the background of NERA which is involved in a lot of different things in the nuclear industry such as advising DOE on loan guarantees for nuclear power plants and advising developing countries on the methodology for pursuing a nuclear power program. Ed talked about the relative costs of building a nuclear power plant and why there are different costs in different countries. One interesting fact was that government run nuclear build projects can actually be cheaper than private companies conducting the same activities. Ed outlined how a developing country can actually make several economic benefits for themselves whereas they can build an infrastructure to have a hand in the global nuclear supply chain which would have a lot of benefits for that country. Ed talked about China’s program to build a lot of the same type of reactor (AP-1000) and it appears that the way the Chinese are conducting this activity (investing in capability), it is a very economical solution. He views the first plant being built as a proof of concept and ups the learning curve, which subsequently makes future power plants cheaper to build since they already have the experience. Ed’s assessment of the market for new nuclear power in the US is not real positive, as prices to build plants are way too high, the learning curves are still relatively low and it is not cost competitive with other sources of power such as gas or coal. Ed’s view is that there will probably be a few new plants built in the southeastern US due to the regulated electricity markets, but does not view other proposed plants as having a good chance of success. After the presentation, Ed fielded some intriguing questions from the audience including topics such as Calvert Cliffs, small modular reactors and a brief discussion on intellectual property. Ed also discussed the issues about the DOE’s loan program in terms of limited loan amounts and fees imposed that impact utilities’ economic viability of new plant construction. Overall, a very good meeting!
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Dr. Gail Marcus
Author & Former ANS President
January 2011
Nuclear Firsts: Milestones on the Road to Nuclear Power Development
Our recent book signing event with Gail Marcus was a success! Almost 50 people attended the event (45 to be exact). While most of the group were section members (75%), we had several community members attend. We also had several people join the Section that evening. Dr. Marcus focused her presentation on how she came up with the idea of the book and what the basis for it was. She came up with the idea because she found herself attending many 50th anniversarys. She chose to focus the book on “firsts” because they won’t be supplanted or overcome by events. She also wanted the book to have a ‘timeline’ feel, so the reader would know what was happening around each of the firsts. She ended the presentation with the thought that “firsts” are not the only measure of success. France, for example, was completely absent in early research because they were being occupied, but now has the largest percent of electricity generated by nuclear power. The Section decided to feature Dr. Marcus at the dinner meeting for a couple of reasons. One being, several of the Section members were used as resources during her research. Additionally, we wanted to do something a little different than our typical dinner meeting, and we thought that a book-signing would be a good event. Dr. Marcus is also a member of our local Section (and has been for a number of years), so we thought it would be great to feature a Section member.
Richard Barrett
Principle Systems Analyst, AdSTM, Inc.
December 2010
The NRC Sponsored International Regulatory Development Partnership (IRDP)
Rich Barrett of AdSTM led an interesting discussion of the NRC sponsored project entitled, “International Regulatory Development Partnership.” Mr. Barrett gave a very good overview of the project and encouraged substantive dialogue from the 30 audience members. The purpose of the partnership is to provide general guidance to countries considering developing nuclear power regulatory authorities and it covers all aspects of the nuclear power plant lifecycle from siting and construction to operation to eventual decommissioning. Currently, the most involved countries under this partnership are Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Armenia. There are several other countries that are also interested in pursuing the assistance from the US. AdSTM has created a number of training workshops and classes as well as guidance documents to help these developing countries construct a basis for nuclear power regulation. In summary, Rich outlined the IRDP effectiveness with participating countries in developing a nuclear regulator capable of licensing a new reactor. Also, Rich outlined the balance between development, training and bi-lateral consulting activities. The meeting concluded with very intriguing questions from the audience and everybody applauded Rich for the excellent presentation.
T. J. Kim
Licensing Manager, B&W mPower
November 2010
B&W mPower Reactor Design Concept
The Washington D.C. Section of the American Nuclear Society (DCANS) held a dinner meeting on Nov. 2, 2010, at the Far East Restaurant in North Bethesda. The featured speaker was T.J.Kim of B&W Nuclear Energy giving a presentation on the Small Modular Design reactor called mPower. The lively meeting was well attended by over 50 nuclear professionals from the Washington D.C. area.
Dr. Hash Hashemian
President, Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation
October 2010
Dr. Hash Hashemian, President of Analysis Measurement Services in Knoxville, TN spoke at the Washington, DC Section of the American Nuclear Society on October 14, 2010, at the Far East Restaurant. Dr. Hashemian described the DOE government program to stimulate R&D for companies with less than 500 employees. The program is divided into three phases. Phase I is < $0.5 Million, Phase II is < $1M, and Phase III is < $3M.
Analytical Measurement Services is a boutique company for analyzing data. Their clients are nuclear power plants (NPP) in the USA, Spain and Korea. Dr. Hashemian characterized NNP as having buried treasure (data) which can be used to improve reliability, availability, and productivity. AMS uses instrumentation, visual inspection and acoustic monitoring as sources of data for control purposes and as diagnostics for corrective actions and for calibration. Results of AMS analyses are used for predictive maintenance based upon neutron radiography, vibration analysis, analysis of lubricants. His specialists use data from temperature, pressure and neutron flux for prediction of time to failure for components.
He gave examples of sensing line blockage in valve piping by plotting amplitude versus frequency. Core barrel vibration in boiling water reactors was analyzed using this method. Wireless sensors available in reactors containments can be used to obtain real time information and are being evaluated by ASME under Section XI. Monitoring of impedance of cable connections can be used for useful information.
A lively question and answer period ensued.
William D. Magwood IV
Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
September 2010
Commissioner Magwood Kicks-off This Year’s ANS Program Season
The new program year for the ANS Washington DC Section got started September 15 with a very successful dinner meeting hosted by the NRC. After a bountiful buffet dinner of chicken parmesan, Italian pasta and the works, the joint ANS and HPS crowd of over 80 people were fortunate enough to share a bit of wit and wisdom from NRC Commissioner William Magwood. The Commissioner started with a few of the highlights of his career, including his work as the Director of Nuclear Energy with the U.S. Department of Energy where he led the creation of the “Nuclear Power 2010” initiative and his early days as a scientist for Westinghouse in Pittsburgh. He then shared that shortly after he cut back his consulting schedule, he was asked to serve as a Commissioner. Although he was initially reluctant to take on such a demanding assignment, his dedication to public service won out, and he has spent the past 6 months adjusting to his new role at the NRC.
He compared his experience working with the DOE to his current role as a Commissioner at the NRC, and noted that the cultures within the two agencies are very different. Showing his sense of humor, he likened the DOE operating mode to a state of chaos, with a vast range of activities underway at anytime, while the NRC is the most disciplined organization he has ever seen, maintaining a steady focus on establishing policies to ensure nuclear safety. His success in both organizations demonstrates his flexibility as an executive. Upon reflection of why NRC has repeatedly been ranked as the “best place to work” in the federal government, he noted the extra management attention on the career paths of the staff as a significant difference that surpasses what DOE typically provides as a probable factor.
He purposely kept his presentation short so that he could allow the audience an opportunity to ask questions, and the audience didn’t hold back. Although one or two questions were too politically sensitive to address, the majority of them provided the basis for a very interactive discussion on current nuclear issues. Some of the questions that were asked and the answers the Commissioner provided are below.
1. The nuclear workforce is changing, and most of the experienced NRC staff who reviewed the license applications for the current fleet of reactors have either retired, or will be retiring shortly. Who is going to review the license applications for the new reactors? While it is true that many of the experienced professionals at the NRC are retiring, it should be noted that the NRC has very high standards for hiring the very best engineers and scientists from well-known, accredited universities. In addition, the NRC has established various knowledge-management and mentoring programs to collect and share the expertise of its professionals, as well as extensive training programs to bring new employees up to speed quickly. These and other, similar programs are ways that the NRC is actively involved in “growing the expertise” from within the agency. The National Labs may also play a role in ensuring safety for the new generation of reactors. In short, it will be just like NRC did the first time, back in the 70’s.
2. In the past, NRC Commissioners have had the tendency to select one or two issues or areas for special focus during their term – is there any particular issue or area that you hope to become involved in shaping? Although he intends to be involved in all of the current issues before the Commission, he is strongly interested in supporting educational programs, and hopes to be able to make an impact in this area. His recent experience in talking with American high school students revealed a serious lack of interest in technical subjects. He also stated some current statistics regarding high school graduation rates that were alarming when compared to the era when he graduated.
3. What is the status of the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) the president selected to review the high-level waste disposal issue? Has the Commission been informed of any developments or plans? This question comes from a highly political realm, but the simple answer was basically no, the NRC Commissioners have not met with the BRC or been briefed on their activities, although some NRC staff have interacted with the BRC to provide information on spent fuel and high level waste.
4. The nuclear industry is global, with a majority of the growth being overseas. Many of the new plants in the planning stages will be built in countries that do not currently have nuclear power, and in many cases do not
have the resources necessary to establish a highly effective regulatory program. Furthermore, an accident at an international plant would impact our industry for years to come. What is the NRC doing to help train international regulators to ensure a high level of safety is maintained in the global industry? There is already a significant amount of collaboration between the USNRC inspectors and personnel from regulatory bodies in other countries. This includes staff exchanges, meetings to establish international safety standards and temporary assignments with the IAEA. However, given the importance of maintaining the industries’ excellent nuclear safety record to the growth of the worldwide nuclear industry, Commissioner Magwood agreed this might be an area for further exploration. He may consider greater sharing of resources for training international regulators, such as assigning US inspectors in overseas plants and providing standardized training at the NRC for regulators from other countries.
Please note this is just a tidbit of the lively discussions at the meeting. Be sure to attend the next meeting in person to get the “rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey would say!
Thanks!
– Kevin
For information on past meetings from April 2010 and before.