Desirability of small reactors, HTGR in particular

Abstract

Small reactors of about 100–300 MWe, High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) in particular, are considered desirable in future, based on the following ways of thinking; Global scale enhancement of nuclear energy is considered necessary from reduction of environment impact point of view. Small reactors are desirable, due to (a) enhanced safety in terms of fuel inventory and inherent safety, then (b) easier plant siting, near populated or industrial area, (c) more flexible development, planning and construction than larger reactors by finer adjustment with demand, and (d) economic competitiveness attainable by means of adoption of more rationalized systems categorization, simpler and modularized design, mass production in factory, less work at construction site, and marketability including that of developing countries. In such ways, small reactors can be economically designed, constructed and operated, by conquering “scale de-merit”, in contrast with scale merit of larger reactors as seen in current LWRs. Small HTGRs, in particular, are mostly desirable and promising, from view points of wider applications, such as electricity use, wide range of heat uses and/or cogenaration, Pu burning with high efficiency, wider fuel cycle options, using U, Pu and/or Th, with or without reprocessing, and development stages, where not only test reactor programs for development & demonstration but also realization programs are already going on towards commercial operation start in 2005–2010. Development programs on small HTGR, related global activities and cost evaluations by developers and JAPC are shown, and steps towards their global scale commercializations are proposed.