Speaker
Description
Currently, the world society recognizes serious environmental problems with anthropogenic impact on the environment and almost does not dispute the main source of its pollution. However, the hope that growing demand of world economies for electricity can be provided by so-called alternative energy sources - solar and wind installations is illusory.
At the same time, the world's existing nuclear power industry consisting of more than 80% of light-water reactors of various capacities also cannot solve this problem as well. The real solution to the energy problem while preserving the climate and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals can only be large-scale nuclear energy based on fast neutron reactors (FNR) with a closed nuclear fuel cycle (CNFC). However, the development of such large-scale nuclear energy could create potential risks to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and may complicate the IAEA's safeguards implementation in non-nuclear-weapon States operating such nuclear power systems.
The report using the example of the BREST reactor as part of a pilot demonstration energy complex being built in Russia will show that these potential risks can be reduced due to the technical features incorporated in the design of such nuclear system. In particular, the absence of separation of uranium and plutonium during reprocessing leads to a high level of radioactivity of the new fuel obtained from the reprocessed one providing self-protection from unauthorized use.
The report will also discuss elements that can be included in the design of the facility that promote the application of IAEA safeguards, including the availability of an automated system for accounting for nuclear materials, as well as online measurements of flows of nuclear materials to ensure the necessary accuracy of measurements of nuclear materials in bulk form.
The report will show that the results of the analysis based on the developed models can make it possible to conclude that the inherent technological elements of such a nuclear system are sufficient to reduce the potential risk of nuclear proliferation.
Based on this, the report will conclude that the future export of FNR with CNFC from Russia with an initial load of fresh fuel and technological processes developed to the best levels will create minimal potential risks to nuclear proliferation, and the use of such nuclear power systems in peaceful nuclear activities of states will contribute to their economic and technological development without negative impact on the environment.
| Affiliation/Organization | National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow |
|---|---|
| Speaker's title | Mr |
| Country/Int. organization | Russian Federation |
| Speaker's email address | vkuchinov@bk.ru |
