Feasibility studies on commercialized fast breeder reactor cycle system

Japan Atomic Energy Committee recommended in Dec. 1997 that fast breeder reactor (FBR) should be placed to a promising choice for future non-fossil energy resources, and the research and development of the FBR is suitable to be promoted under a flexible plan. According to the recommendation, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) decided to start the feasibility studies for fast breeder reactor and its related fuel cycle system in a middle and long-term project plan in 1999, in cooperation with the domestic electric power companies. The purpose of the studies is to build up the concept of the fast reactor cycle system in the 21st century and to suggest its development strategy for practical use. Not only the fuel cycle system which consists of FBR plants, fuel reprocessing plants and fuel manufacturing plants should be safe, but also the system satisfies the following synthetic evaluation indexes; (1) economics, (2) effective utilization of resources, (3) reduction of impact to environment, (4) non-nuclear proliferation. The research and development of the fuel cycle system in Phase 1 (in 1999-2000) is divided into three categories: (1) Development of system technology which includes FBR system, fuel reprocessing system, fuel manufacturing system, and optimization of the FBR cycle. (2) Development of element technology for practical use. (3) Unification and evaluation of the system technology. Actual subjects accompanying with the technology are discussed in detail. (Suetake, M.)