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Human Resource Development and Advanced Reactor Development

Published on Mar. 11, 2015 : The Denki Shimbun (The Electric Daily News)
Shojiro Matsuura
Chairman of JANSI

When I looked at the cover of last December’s edition of the American Nuclear Society’s publication “Nuclear News,” which arrived in January of this year, I was completely taken by surprise and inadvertently blurted out, ”What's this?” “ADVANCED REACTORS” in bold letters jumped out from the cover page. At the bottom, there was a notation about a special section showing 10 advanced reactors. Of the edition’s 120 pages, 45 pages were devoted to the status of development of even the most recent of these reactor designs.

With regard to the development of advanced reactors, there was more and more discussion among advanced nuclear nations around the turn-of-the-century that perhaps a next generation, that is fourth-generation, advanced nuclear reactors should be designed and developed. Experts from 10 countries put together a forum and proceeded to discuss the issue. This was the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). Just around that time, the aftermath of the TMI and Chernobyl accidents was finally quieting down, and capacity factors of nuclear power plants in many countries were on the rise. There was also a heightened social assessment regarding the use of nuclear power energy, and the term “nuclear power renaissance” was being batted about. Of course, experts from Japan also participated and were active in GIF. Nevertheless, circumstances were quite difficult on account of the impact of the Monju accident, JCO accident, pertinent accidents involving major electric power utilities’ commercial reactors, and other problems.

As a result of the joint work undertaken by GIF, the following six reactor models were selected as fourth-generation reactors: the gas-cooled fast breeder reactor, lead (or lead and bismuth) cooling fast breeder reactor, molten-salt reactor, supercritical water-cooled reactor, sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor, and the high temperature gas-cooled reactor. However, although GIF activities were continued thereafter, they did not extend so far as to select a specific reactor model and develop it with an international cooperative plan.

GIF is a joint project among countries, but the all reactor models listed in “Nuclear News” are those being developed through the endeavors and designs of nuclear vendors or companies from other industries desiring to be one of nuclear vendors with the aim of marketing their work in the future. While the technologies have its foundation in previously developed nuclear technology, new challenges have been added and GIF discussions seem to have been sufficiently referenced.

In the foundation shouldering plans for commercialization, there is a strong awareness of the significant role that nuclear power plays over an even broader spectrum in terms of long-term security of the world’s energy reserves, preventing global warming, and improving the standard of living for people who still do not enjoy the benefits of nuclear power utilization. For these reasons, the necessary conditions for establishment of any concept include, above anything else, the capability to completely prevent large quantities of radioactive material from being released into the environment if an accident should occur. In addition, economic efficiency should be achieved to a reasonable degree along with distinctive ease of operation and the capability for longer-term consecutive operation.

The importance of human resource development is continually being talked about. In Japan's nuclear power sector, many such discussions have been held, particularly since the March 11 disaster. Nevertheless, no matter how loud and strongly we deliberate or expound on its necessity, it is probably asking too much of young people to develop an interest in and take up the challenge of joining an industry which is downsizing or heading toward its end. As one might expect, it is the challenge of a new possibility useful for the future, by and of itself, which holds real appeal. And, young people will fittingly grow with such a challenge.

The work that attracts young people to nuclear power is the design and construction of even more advanced reactor systems as stated earlier. With the lessons learned from the March 11 disaster firmly in mind, isn't it time that Japan, of all countries, started to take up the challenge of “designing a reactor concept with ultimate safety” or “a reactor system with autonomous processing of fission products”? To put it a little more specifically, this would be a nuclear power system having “the capability to sustain a fission chain reaction free of reactivity accidents and free of loss of coolant accidents” and reactor system capable of continuous handling of fission products. Such a concept would probably come up against many scientific and technological hurdles. Certainly, this is exactly where the seeds of the most important basic and foundational research can be seen. Motivated young people are not likely to overlook these sprouts.


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