Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Description: The video recording of RIC 2025 Technical Session: TH17 - Building the Energy Future - Exploring Opportunities for the Safe and Economic Design and Construction of New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors. The safe and economic design and construction of nuclear power plant structures that will withstand seismic events is a critical area of investigation to support new and advanced reactor designs. These advanced designs that range from microreactors to plants that will produce hundreds of megawatts of electricity, encourage the use of tailored approaches (such as risk-informed, performance-based efforts) to analyzing seismic hazard and other demands, rather than applying a one-size fits-all approach to accounting for varying risk and consequences. The NRC staff and consultants, leading experts from industry and research institutions, and proponents of new and advanced reactor designs presented their perspectives, which included the use of risk-informed, performance-based design approaches; tailored approaches for seismic hazard characterization; perspectives on the feasibility of applying commercial building construction codes; and the potential application of protective systems such as seismic isolation.
SPEAKER(S):
Christian Araguas, NRC Standards Executive and Director, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC
Opening Remarks
Junya Sumita, Senior Principal Researcher, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Licensing Experiences of HTTR
Emma Redfoot, Siting and Environmental Lead, Oklo, Inc.
Seismic Solutions: Risk-Informed Site Characterization
John Stamatakos, Institute Scientist, Southwest Research Institute
Seismic Hazard Analyses Commensurate with Seismic Design Requirements of Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors
John Richards, Senior Technical Executive, Electric Power Research Institute
Risk-Informed Performance-Based Codes and Standards for Advanced Reactor Structures
Andrew Whittaker, Distinguished Professor, State University of New York, University at Buffalo
Rightsizing Standards for Civil Structures in Support of Risk-informed Performance Based Design
SESSION COORDINATOR(S):
Thomas Weaver, Senior Seismologist, Geotechnical and Seismic Engineering Branch, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC e-mail: Thomas.Weaver@nrrc.gov
Laurel Bauer, Chief, Geotechnical and Seismic Engineering Branch, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC e-mail: Laurel.Baurer@nrc.gov
Description: The video recording of RIC 2025 Technical Session: TH17 - Building the Energy Future - Exploring Opportunities for the Safe and Economic Design and Construction of New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors. The safe and economic design and construction of nuclear power plant structures that will withstand seismic events is a critical area of investigation to support new and advanced reactor designs. These advanced designs that range from microreactors to plants that will produce hundreds of megawatts of electricity, encourage the use of tailored approaches (such as risk-informed, performance-based efforts) to analyzing seismic hazard and other demands, rather than applying a one-size fits-all approach to accounting for varying risk and consequences. The NRC staff and consultants, leading experts from industry and research institutions, and proponents of new and advanced reactor designs presented their perspectives, which included the use of risk-informed, performance-based design approaches; tailored approaches for seismic hazard characterization; perspectives on the feasibility of applying commercial building construction codes; and the potential application of protective systems such as seismic isolation.
SPEAKER(S):
Christian Araguas, NRC Standards Executive and Director, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC
Opening Remarks
Junya Sumita, Senior Principal Researcher, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Licensing Experiences of HTTR
Emma Redfoot, Siting and Environmental Lead, Oklo, Inc.
Seismic Solutions: Risk-Informed Site Characterization
John Stamatakos, Institute Scientist, Southwest Research Institute
Seismic Hazard Analyses Commensurate with Seismic Design Requirements of Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors
John Richards, Senior Technical Executive, Electric Power Research Institute
Risk-Informed Performance-Based Codes and Standards for Advanced Reactor Structures
Andrew Whittaker, Distinguished Professor, State University of New York, University at Buffalo
Rightsizing Standards for Civil Structures in Support of Risk-informed Performance Based Design
SESSION COORDINATOR(S):
Thomas Weaver, Senior Seismologist, Geotechnical and Seismic Engineering Branch, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC e-mail: Thomas.Weaver@nrrc.gov
Laurel Bauer, Chief, Geotechnical and Seismic Engineering Branch, Division of Engineering, RES/NRC e-mail: Laurel.Baurer@nrc.gov
