New designs are almost entirely SCADA based (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) so more information is available to plant operations personnel that is useful in making decisions. There are technologies, such as simulation that can be used in the advancement of SCADA designs and improve nuclear plant designs by simulating and performing tests regarding operators responses to different circumstances, stressing emergencies.

Issues of nuclear security include the protection of facilities against external (terrorist) threats and the inclusion of neighboring communities in plans to be implemented in case of emergency.

The greatest threat to the safety of nuclear power plants is the lack of safety operations training to include simulations of nuclear emergencies and the actions needed by responders. (This includes on-site security personnel and external responders)

The operations guide and the policies are the nucleus of a nuclear facility and instruct personnel how to act in each situation. Operations manuals and policies are ever-growing in the more sophisticated technologically superior plants, filling more and more volumes. Most training done today is to reinforce the instructions in these guides. Over time the procedures become practically instinctive, which is the intent of the training.

Every policy in a nuclear power facility operational manual can be translated into a simulation exercise to help personnel learn to interpret what might initially seem like conflicting information. Use of manuals alone isn't always effective as a training technique.

Most nuclear plants today use training programs that were developed more than 3 decades ago. There are few plans to rectify this shortcoming with modernization of the programs.

Most nuclear plant personnel to date are extremely well trained, but as experienced workers retire, new personnel replacing them have no experience. This is another area where using simulating technology can mimic life experience and let the new workers "live through" emergency situations. This makes even more sense when you consider that most job requirements in the nuclear plant are routine, so it would take years for enough real life emergency situations to occur. Using simulation is a way to give the personnel "experience" in many circumstances that could arise at a nuclear plant.