Some pertinent aspects of COMENA R/D activities in the field of SCWR

Nuclear energy provides now over 16 percent of the world's total electricity and has the potential to contribute much more, especially if greenhouse concerns lead to a change in the relative economic advantage of nuclear electricity. The recent technological advances in the field of nuclear power plant design together with the strong and continuous increase in the price of oil and gas are making the option of using nuclear energy for the production of electricity and water desalination a very attractive alternative to be included in the energy mix of many developing countries. In Algeria, the strong rate of increase in the energy demand together with the presence of non negligible natural reserves of uranium in the Hoggar region and the availability of basic nuclear infrastructures capable of supporting reliably the introduction of nuclear power in the country, have prompted these past years governmental authorities to decide on the implementation of the nuclear power alternative in the country energy mix. With respect to this point, extensive energy planning studies have been performed and indicated the need to put into operation a first nuclear power plant (capacity ∼ 1000 - 1200 MWe) by the year 2022 and a second plant of the same capacity by 2027. Furthermore, it is expected that the base load in the national electric generating capacity, for the period 2030-2050, will rely on nuclear. To support such a program a nuclear technology investigation group was appointed within the Algerian Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA). The group recognized very quickly the importance of light water reactor (LWR) technologies for the Algerian nuclear power program. Since the current evolutionary trend of LWR technologies is shifting toward the development of safer, simpler and more economical revolutionary concepts a special multidisciplinary team was set up to follow up and contribute as well as to the global R/D efforts in the domain of Super Critical Water Reactors (SCWR). Pertinent aspects of ongoing activities at COMENA in the field of neutronics, thermal hydraulics and experimental parameters measurements are reviewed. (author)