Key Issues
Reliable and Affordable Energy: Fact Sheets
Nuclear Power Plants Contribute Significantly to State and Local Economies
This fact sheet details the continued economic impact of a nuclear power from construction through operation. Covered are direct economic benefits, affordable electricity and the value of environmental benefits.
Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal
This fact sheet explains how nuclear power plants—which are originally licensed to operate for 40 years—can obtain 20-year extensions of their licenses from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The agency has renewed the operating licenses of 47 reactors after determining that they are and will continue operating safely. The NRC is reviewing several more applications.
Nuclear Technology Milestones 1942–Present
This fact sheet highlights important events in the history of nuclear energy, from the first controlled nuclear chain reaction through the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and after.
Nuclear Fuel Production: A Four-Step Process
This fact sheet describes the four-step process involved in turning uranium ore into fuel pellets that can be used inside a nuclear reactor: mining and milling, conversion, enrichment and fabrication.
Managing Material Condition and Equipment Reliability at U.S. Nuclear Power Plants
This fact sheet discusses the practices and procedures in place at nuclear power plants for managing the condition of plant systems, structures and components. This life-cycle management plan centers on a wide range of activities that include both preventive and corrective maintenance.
Californium-252: Supply and Funding Status
This fact sheet describes the importance of Californium-252 (Cf-252) and how it is produced at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Also discussed is the current status of the lab's Cf-252 program, which has been privately funded through 2012 by source manufacturers of Cf-based devices and industry users.
