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Commercial nuclear plants are safe and secure. Bill Gates said in 2012, “Nuclear energy, in terms of an overall safety record, is better than other energy,” and that is still valid today. A large contribution to the impressive safety records at nuclear plants is the strong security force and systems in place to prevent adversaries from causing radiological sabotage.  

Abstract from Steven P. Kraft:

The short answer is ‘yes!’ Nuclear energy will have a brilliant future in the U.S. if a nuclear industry collaboration with the federal government addresses a critical set of complex, interrelated issues. The partnership will need to be based on a common purpose that transcends the political cycle, and yet also relies on strong, consistent political leadership at all levels.

That was the question posed by the Department of Energy’s Office of International Nuclear Security (INS) to USA Nuclear’s Douglas Abell. His answer was a 1-day training course for INS personnel stationed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) on domestic nuclear power plant security.

USA Nuclear, a leading advisor to America’s nuclear infrastructure, has launched a new website at https://www.usanuclear.org/. The site offers nuclear perspectives in security, policy, defense, national security, and the protection of critical infrastructure for both domestic and international nuclear interests.

To say the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has disrupted our communities would be a tremendous understatement. Nearly every facet of our lives has been impacted or upended because of the enhanced health and safety measures put in place to prevent the spread of this devastating infection. At USA Nuclear, we felt compelled to help our community through this difficult time. We knew we could make a difference, so we set to work.

Through a collaborative partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratories, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratories, USA Nuclear guided efforts to secure Federal funding to develop the Tracer FIRE program.

After more than twenty years in nuclear power plant security, USA Nuclear’s Doug Abell knows what young nuclear engineers need before entering the industry.

Decommissioning is the process by which nuclear power plants are retired from service and terminate the operating licenses they’d been granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To ensure that decommissioning is safe and environmentally sound, the NRC has established clear regulations and associated guidance outlining the requirements and processes companies must follow. This decommissioning process facilitates participation by state and local authorities at several points along the way.

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), like drones, are among the major transformational technologies that are expanding in their range of beneficial applications, but they can also pose a significant threat to nuclear facilities. The benefits are clear – photography, videography, delivery services, and the recreational enjoyment of flight. But as the technology continues to evolve, so too does its potential to be adapted for malicious purposes.

Abstract from Jerud E. Hanson:

In this paper I will discuss the benefits of engaging with commercial nuclear power utilities, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and DOE National Laboratories to explore the use of innovative security technologies to sustain the commercial nuclear power industry.