THERE seems to be an increasing recognition that breeder reactors and fast reactors will be the bread and butter of electricity generation in the world 50 years from now. If fast reactors are the choice of future nuclear reactor concepts envisaged by the Generation IV Initiative of 10 countries, a seven-country international project, the International Project of Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle (INPRO) under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is now defining the characteristics of a Fast Reactor with Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle (FR with CNFC) that will substantially contribute to generation of 300 GWe (Gigawatt electric) to 500 GWe of nuclear power by 2050.
The privilege of heading this international project, known as the Joint Assessment Study, has gone to Dr. Baldev Raj, Director, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam. The IGCAR is a premier centre of the Department of Atomic Energy engaged in designing fast breeder reactors.
"It is good that India has the honour of chairing this international forum. In this forum, India is considered one of the leaders in fast reactor technology," said Dr. Baldev Raj.
The other countries that are taking part in the project are Russia, China, France, Japan, South Korea and Ukraine. The United States and Canada are likely to join this initiative.
The representatives of the member-countries met at Obninsk (Russia), Vienna (Austria) and Kalpakkam to discuss the specifications of the new reactor. The meeting at Kalpakkam was held in March 2006 and Baldev Raj, an eminent metallurgist, was elected leader. "We have assessed the world scenario of nuclear power to come to the conclusion that FRs with CNFC are an inevitable option if a large amount of electricity is to be provided at a reasonable cost and less waste," he said.
The FR with CNFC should meet seven requirements: safety, economy, non-proliferation, technology, environmental concerns, waste management and infrastructure. "This is a comprehensive approach," Baldev Raj said. Infrastructure, technology, material accounting (non-proliferation, in IAEA parlance) and safety were important requirements because countries that went in for such FRs should have the human resource, technology and industrial capability to build them.
India, Russia, China, France and Japan are keen on stepping up their nuclear power capacity. There is a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy in the U.S and the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, announced recently that his government was in favour of renewal of nuclear energy there. Breeder reactors are also staging a comeback. Russia operates a 600 MWe fast breeder reactor (FBR) and plans to build an 800 MWe FBR called BN-800. A fast breeder test reactor with a capacity of 13 MWe is operational at Kalpakkam where a 500 MWe prototype fast breeder reactor is under construction. India plans to build four more FBRs of 500 MWe each before 2020. The IGCAR has designed all these reactors. It is designing an FBR of 1000 MWe capacity. Japan has two breeders called Monju and Joyo. China is building an experimental FBR.
"But the question is whether sustainability of nuclear power is assured," said the IGCAR Director. Among the important factors that should be considered for sustainability are fuel resources such as uranium, plutonium and thorium, safety and environmental concerns, and public perception of nuclear power. Natural uranium prices have gone up three times in the last 10 years. Besides, natural uranium is limited in the world. An intense debate in INPRO, therefore, came to the conclusion that "only FRs with CNFC will provide sustainability," Baldev Raj said.
INPRO has already prepared a manual, which listed the scientific ways of the new reactor meeting the seven requirements. The reactor will be assessed jointly as per this manual. Research and development on this reactor will be done individually by some countries and others in a collaborative mode.
T.S. SubramanianCOMMents
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