A new high temperature reactor project

General Atomic and Minatom want to develop a new high temperature reactor: the GT-MHR (gas turbine modular helium reactor). This reactor will be able to produce energy (electricity or steam) and to burn plutonium efficiently. The aim is to replace the plutonium producing reactors that are used to assure district heating and to burn the Russian stockpile of plutonium.This type of reactor allows to burn up to 85% of the plutonium present in the fuel and needs 100 Kg of plutonium-239 for each TWh produced whereas a PWR needs 65 Kg in the form of MOX fuel. The expected yield of GT-MHR is promising with 48% compared to 35% for classical nuclear plants, 45% for coal and 55% for gas. The use of new technologies will allow to overcome the technical problems that hampered the development of high temperature reactors 20 years ago. (A.C.)