Safety of so-called new reactor concepts: BASE launches research project

Source: BASE

What types of reactors are being investigated by researchers worldwide? How safe are these concepts, and are they really new? A research project commissioned by BASE will delve into these questions.

A large number of concepts for nuclear power plants are currently being developed worldwide. Some of them have been around for several decades. They are often described as new, but have not been successful so far for a variety of reasons. Developers refer to some of these concepts as "Generation IV" nuclear power plants. They are often still in the early stages of development, and are still far from large-scale implementation. One example is the molten salt reactor. The first molten salt reactor experiments took place as early as the 1960s. Molten salt concepts are still being investigated, but no reactor for commercial power generation has yet been built.

Possible advantages of new reactor concepts

According to the respective developers, these concepts possess a number of advantages:

• Increased safety compared to existing nuclear power plants (especially light water reactors),
• A better ratio of electricity produced to waste generated,
• The possibility of using more materials as fuel, such as thorium or individual components of existing high-level radioactive waste; and
• A higher level of economic efficiency.

Possible disadvantages and unanswered questions

In addition to the question of the feasibility of these goals, reactor designs face a number of other questions, such as:

• What are the technical hurdles - for example, the lack of suitable materials or manufacturing processes?
• What new plant safety issues may arise for these concepts?
• To what extent do the new concepts make it easier or more difficult to steal fissile material for the construction of nuclear weapons (proliferation)?
• How can their economic efficiency be assessed?
• What are the implications of the new reactor concepts for nuclear waste management?
• What are the regulatory challenges posed by the reactor concepts?

"Molten Salt Reactor" experimental reactor under construction - 1964 Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

About the research project

The research project, which is being carried out by the Öko-Institut, the Technical University of Berlin and the Physikerbüro Bremen, focuses on safety issues in particular. Its working title is "Analysis and evaluation of the development status, the safety and the regulatory framework for so-called new reactor concepts". The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. A first interim report is to be finalised by the end of 2022. Both reports will be published on the BASE website.

Why research on nuclear power plant safety is important

In 2011, Germany decided to phase out nuclear power generation. By the end of 2022 at the latest, the remaining three German nuclear power plants will stop producing electricity, whereas other countries in Europe and other places are planning to build new nuclear power plants.

Nevertheless, further research into questions of nuclear plant safety will be needed in Germany in the future. The research work allows Germany to provide well-founded assessments of the nuclear safety of so-called new reactor concepts both in a national and an international context. This can be done, for example, by collaborating on international regulations.