Steps to nuclear power

The recent increase in oil prices will undoubtedly cause the pace at which nuclear power is introduced in developing countries to quicken in the next decade, with many new countries beginning to plan nuclear power programmes. The guidebook is intended for senior government officials, policy makers, economic and power planners, educationalists and economists. It assumes that the reader has relatively little knowledge of nuclear power systems or of nuclear physics but does have a general technical or management background. Nuclear power is described functionally from the point of view of an alternative energy source in power system expansion. The guidebook is based on an idealized approach. Variations on it are naturally possible and will doubtless be necessary in view of the different organizational structures that already exist in different countries. In particular, some countries may prefer an approach with a stronger involvement of their Atomic Energy Commission or Authority, for which this guidebook has foreseen mainly a regulatory and licensing role. It is intended to update this booklet as more experience becomes available. Supplementary guidebooks will be prepared on certain major topics, such as contracting for fuel supply and fuel cycle requirements, which the present book does not go into very deeply