[en] This paper describes the status of ICF which output is given in terms of number of emitted neutrons and fusion energy as a function of the estimated input energy from the implosion driver. Results from the highest energy laser experiments are summarised. The theoretical targets and the proposed upgrades of NOVA, GEKKO and OMEGA are also shown. The promised ICF paradise will therefore be approached through a process of interpolation between two known extremes. The objectives of this experiment was to produce more than one MW of fusion power in a controlled way, to demonstrate the technology related to tritium usage tritium injection, its tracking, monitoring/recovery and to establish safe procedures for handling tritium in compliance with the regulatory requirements. (A.B)

[en] The report estimates the future advances of wind power technology. Two trajectories are considered and described: a normal (business as usual) trajectory and a technology trajectory. Two types of plants are considered: 1500 kW turbines on land (roughness class 1.5) in small groups and 2500 kW turbines in large off-shore wind farms. In both cases cost of energy (in DKK/kWh) is estimated to be approximately halved during the next 25 years. For wind turbines in flat terrain cost is estimated to decrease from an average in 1995 of 0.43 DKK/kWh to an average in 2020 of 0.26 DKK/kWh on a normal trajectory and 0.21 DKK/kWh on a technology trajectory. For large off-shore (near coast) wind farms cost is estimated to decrease from an average in 1995 of 0.51 DKK/kWh to an average in 2020 of 0.27 DKK/kWh on a normal trajectory and 0.23 DKK/kWh on a technology trajectory. Increase in the total market volume for wind turbines is estimated as the most important factor for cost reductions. The market is anticipated to follow the most conservative scenario of World Energy Council (180,000 MW by 2020). (au) 17 tabs., 7 ills. 25 refs

[en] The designers of innovative small and medium sized reactors pursue new design and deployment strategies making use of certain advantages provided by smaller reactor size and capacity to achieve reduced design complexity and simplified operation and maintenance requirements, and to provide for incremental capacity increase through multi-module plant clustering. Competitiveness of SMRs (Small and Medium size Reactor) depends on the incorporated strategies to overcome loss of economies of scale but equally it depends on finding appropriate market niches for such reactors. For many less developed countries, these are the features of enhanced proliferation resistance and increased robustness of barriers for sabotage protection that may ensure the progress of nuclear power. For such countries, small reactors without on-site refuelling, designed for infrequent replacement of well-contained fuel cassette(s) in a manner that impedes clandestine diversion of nuclear fuel material, may provide a solution. Based on the outputs of recent IAEA activities for innovative SMRs, the paper provides a summary of the state-of-the-art in approaches to improve SMR competitiveness and incorporate enhanced proliferation resistance and energy security. (author)

[en] A recent investigation examined the economic potential for electricity generation in the U.K. using large slow-speed two-stroke diesel engines of around 40MW unit output. Large diesels are a high efficiency technology, resilient to fuel quality, and with high reliability. Economic analysis compared diesels with other generating options for a range of fuel scenarios and discount rates. Merit order potential and total costs were also assessed. The diesels show superior economic qualities, both in terms of investment criteria and high merit position. They are economically comparable with combined cycle gas turbines, but combined cycle plant is essentially large-scale, whereas diesels in 40 MW units sizes can provide small-scale, high-efficiency local generation. Slow-speed diesels represent a sound investment for electricity supply. Diesels in local power stations in southern England would increase supply security and diversity. They are compatible with a cautious investment approach and are appropriate for the new market conditions in electricity supply. (author)

[en] There are substantial resources being devoted to developing a variety of small- and medium-sized reactor concepts throughout the world. The OECD's recent report on these reactors concludes that they could provide a valuable contribution in improving public acceptance and in increasing the nuclear power share in energy markets. But there are still problems with demonstrating economic competitiveness and with the lack of operating plants. (author)

[en] The purpose of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for various vendors of small power reactors (under 1MW) to present their ideas and designs, and to subsequently respond to comments and criticisms from an informed audience. Two contrasting papers were presented on the economics of small plant. The perceived view within Nuclear Electric of the economic targets for small PWR reactor designs within the United Kingdom was outlined. The designs under consideration are AP600 and SIR. The presentation concentrated on the various factors making up the overall generating cost, in particular the capital charges, stressing the need to account for the design and launch costs and additional risk of the first-of-a-kind plant. The main conclusion was that small plant were likely to be less economic than large, although utilities may be attracted by this option as a method of restarting a nuclear programme, and that the UK targets would be around Pound 1100/kW installed and 3-3.5 p/kW h. The SIR plant was then used to show how these goals could be achievable, taking series-order factors into account, even if the overnight installed cost for a single plant is more expensive compared with a large plant. In another paper the application of passive safety features within designs was considered given the present UK safety licensing framework regarding diversity, redundancy, the single failure criterion, and past precedent. Aspects suggested to require special attention were deliberate depressurization of the primary circuit, secureness of hot shutdown, and the adequacy of natural circulation for containment cooling. The rest of the papers dealt with various aspects of the AP600 and SIR designs. (author)

[en] This paper presents the basic features of the Small Unit Passively-safe Enclosed Reactor abbreviated as SUPER, a new reactor system that has been designed and proposed at the Seoul National University's Department of Energy Systems Engineering. SUPER is a small modular reactor system or SMR that is cooled by sub-cooled as well as supercritical water. As a new member of SMRs, SUPER is a small-scale nuclear plant that is designed to be factory-manufactured and shipped as modules to be assembled at a site. The concept offers promising answers to many questions about nuclear power including proliferation resistance, waste management, safety, and startup costs. SUPER is a customized paradigm of a supercritical water reactor or SCWR, a type sharing commonalities with the current fleet of light water reactors, or LWRs. SUPER has evolved from the System-integrated Modular Advance Reactor, or SMART, being developed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, or KAERI. SUPER enhanced the safety features for robustness, design/equipment simplification for natural convection, multi-purpose application for co-generation flexibilities, suitable for isolated or small electrical grids, just-in-time capacity addition, short construction time, and last, but not least, lower capital cost per unit. The primary objectives of SUPER is to develop the conceptual design for a safe and economic small, natural circulation SCWR, to address the economic and safety attributes of the concept, and to demonstrate its technical feasibilities. (authors)

[en] Like most graphite moderated HTR systems, the 10 MW Test-Module reactor is undermoderated. This means if the water ingress is into the pebble bed that this system will gain reactivity as moderator is added to the core. The reactivity increase caused by water ingress strongly depends on the geometry of the core, the temperature, the burnup status and especially the moderator to fuel ratio (the metal content per fuel element). For the equilibrium core 5 gram of heavy metal per fuel element is chosen in order to limit the effect of water ingress. Another important effect of water ingress is to reduce the worth of control rods which are usually located in the reflector. The distance between core and control rods in the reflector are carefully calculated. In the 10 MW Test-Module reactor the core shutdown capability of 12 control rods are selected such that any accident reactivity can be counterbalanced and only half of the rods have to be available to render the reactor down from normal operation to the cold, permanent subcritical condition. (author). 5 figs, 3 tabs

[en] Conventional nuclear reactors require significant investment and pose financial, regulatory, and political risks. Small modular reactors (SMRs), on the other hand, provide an attractive alternative due to substantially reduced up-front investment costs and financial risks; more flexible deployment schedules and operations; modular fabrication and faster onsite assembly; and incorporation into hybrid energy systems or even cogeneration applications such as desalination, district heating, and industrial process heat. This paper aims to develop a general methodology of assessing the economics of first-of-a-kind (FOAK) and nth-of-a-kind (NOAK) SMRs as part of an effort to determine the conditions that would make them competitive with other generation technologies. Ultimately, this paper will provide background information on the various factors impacting nuclear reactor capital and operational costs; detail technology independent cost estimates for water-cooled SMRs; and provide a parametric study on learning and construction and deployment effects. This study demonstrates precisely why the financial risks are drastically reduced for an SMR site, making SMR nuclear projects feasible for many companies, rather than just a handful which are able to finance multi-billion dollar projects and handle the potential construction or licensing delays or cost overruns

[en] Possibilities of two variations of composition of reactor core were considered by the example of water moderated reactor. The first variation is defined of two-section filled core zone with radial input of coolant to fuel layers. The second variation is defined of reactor core being comprised of regular lattice of fuel assembly. Neutron-physical and thermohydraulic parameters of low power reactors were evaluated. It is shown that power intensity of the considered reactor core with ball-type fuel elements of 4 mm diameter is 2 times higher than in the WWER-1000 reactor core