Nuclear power of the coming century and requirements to the nuclear technology

Current state of nuclear power in the world has been considered and the reasons for its falling short of the great expectations relating to its vigorous development in the outgoing century are considered. Anticipated energy demand of the mankind in the next century is evaluated, suggesting that with exhausted resources of cheap fossil fuel and ecological restrictions it can be satisfied by means of a new nuclear technology meeting the requirements of large-scale power generation in terms of safety and economic indices, moreover, the technology can be elaborated in the context of achievements made in civil and military nuclear engineering. Since the developing countries are the most interested parties, it is just their initiative in the development of nuclear technology at the next stage that could provide an impetus for its actual advance. It is shown that large-scale development of nuclear power, being adequate to increase in energy demand, is possible even if solely large NPP equipped with breeders providing BR ≥ 1 are constructed. Requirements for the reactor and fuel cycle technologies are made, their major aspects being: efficient utilization of Pu accumulated and reduction of U specific consumption by at least an order of magnitude, natural inherent safety and deterministic elimination of accidents involving high radioactive releases, assurance of a balance between radiation hazard posed by radioactive wastes disposed and uranium extracted from the ground, nuclear weapons nonproliferation due to fuel reprocessing ruling out potentiality of Pu diversion, reduction of the new generation reactor costs below the costs of today's LWR