large reactors but, on the other hand, the cost per kilowatt will be higher in the initial stages. Of course, if a country wishes to have some independence in its electricity system, it’s important. But I think this is mainly a political decision. Nuclear power has a longer life than any government or political party. A lot of nuclear plants were constructed in the 1970s and are still operating – and their operating lives are being extended. But SMRs may have a niche. High temperature reactors can bring a new quality of energy for some industrial uses, not just for electricity production. Maybe in future also molten salt reactors may also offer some efficiencies. But because MSRs have an integrated fuel cycle some countries will have restrictions related to the recycling aspect of MSRs, which may be considered sensitive.
Q: What about fast reactors? A: My background is in the fast reactor fuel cycle and I believe that they are seeing a revival, not only for electricity production where they are already a well-established technology. Historically there were some technical problems in Japan, some political issues in France, and also some political problems in Germany. But currently there is fast reactor experience in Russia and China and some steps have been taken in India. Fast reactors can, and will, bring a new quality to the nuclear fuel cycle. It is a developed technology for the recycling of nuclear materials, for the reduction, if necessary, of stockpiles of civil plutonium. As of 31 December 2022, the total amount of civilian plutonium declared to the IAEA was around 370 tonnes. The UK, France, Russia, China, Japan all have very big stockpiles. Both Russia and China are going to use fast reactors for the recycling of plutonium and transmutation of minor actinides to improve long term environmental safety. Discussion on fast reactors is also continuing at the international level. The IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) has some collaborative studies/ projects. Maybe in future, molten salt reactors may be considered
preferable for transmutation because there are not so many reprocessing steps involved. Each step in recycling and reprocessing produces some waste and this will contain traces or small amounts of minor actinides. But this is for the future. Currently, fast reactors are being used for transmutation. I’m not saying that fast reactors are the absolute solution
but I can say there is a real revival of this technology. Systems are being optimised and fast reactors will soon meet the criteria of Generation IV reactors. Currently we can say that we have fast reactors with Generation IV knowledge but maybe tomorrow we will have Generation IV reactors.
Q: What about lead-cooled fast reactors? A: The nuclear community is expecting some results from a plant under construction as part of Russia’s PRORYV (Breakthrough) project. Theoretically it is an interesting system but we need to see real results. The lead-cooled BREST-OD-300 fast reactor is set for operation in 2029. It is part of a pilot demonstration power complex, which is being developed under the PRORYV project to demonstrate closed fuel cycle technology on-site. The project has a very strong team and there are a lot of people involved. This concept of an on-site fuel cycle using fast reactors
has already been partially demonstrated using the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II at in the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA, which closed in 1994, and at the BOR-60 reactor operating at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors in Dimitrovgrad, Russia. But it has not been realised on an industrial scale until now. The BREST energy system will also include the recycling and re-use of mixed uranium-plutonium nitride fuel. More “traditional” mox (mixed uranium-plutonium
oxide) fuel is also produced in a separate facility in Russia, which uses stockpiled plutonium to produce fuel for the sodium-cooled BN-800 fast reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP. Taking into account the current nuclear industry landscape with its extensive, well-developed system for the production of fuel and availability of uranium resources, it is not yet necessary to make immediate efforts to establish a closed fuel cycle based on fast reactors. However, with PRORYV we will see a new scale of demonstration.
Q: Is nuclear power the answer to climate change? A: Nuclear is one of the instruments for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. I can say only that, as yet, we [the nuclear community] do not have a mechanism for enhanced deployment of nuclear power reactors to solve climate problems. Today we have a lot of discussions. We have a number of good solutions, but I do not see concrete steps. It’s a very important activity of the IAEA, but we need to wake up industry. A few states have small construction programmes and some newcomers provide good examples. But statistically we have no major nuclear efforts now. At present around 60 power reactors are under construction worldwide, more than half of which are in China. Rosatom is constructing four units in Russia and others in Turkiye [4 units], Bangladesh [2 units] and Egypt [4 units]. India is building seven units. Apart from these efforts not much is happening. Of course, this could change, but I stress the point I made earlier about the need for governmental support and long-term support. ■
www.neimagazine.com | October 2024 | 39
Above left: The IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) has some collaborative projects on fast reactors Photo credit: Massimo Parisi/
Shutterstock.com
Above right: The steel reactor baseplate of the BREST-OD-300 lead- cooled fast reactor was installed earlier this year
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