Fast neutron reactors: a long experience facing a new future

This article makes a survey of the different fast reactor programs throughout the world. The European fast reactor project (EFR) was launched in 1988 under the impulse of a partnership involving electricity producers, nuclear core manufacturers and research agencies. The fading prospect of an energy shortage has led to the freeze of EFR project by the end of 1998. In Europe most fast reactor programs have entered a waiting period whose duration could reach decades. Nevertheless the necessity of assuring the capability of designing and building such reactors stays a priority in order to benefit from the property of breeding which could strongly contribute to the future energetic autonomy of Europe. The improvement of technical performances, the integration of technological progress, the investigation of new concepts are the main tasks of the waiting period. Some prototypes will have to be built at regular time intervals in order to assure the feasibility of these evolutions. (A.C.)