Year
2003
Abstract
I. ABSTRACT Future nuclear energy systems studies conducted by the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) aim at developing promising technologies for future reactors, fuels and fuel cycles, for nuclear power to play a major part in sustainable energy policies. Major goals assigned to future nuclear energy systems are the following : economy, reliability and safety, minimization of waste and, last but not least, enhanced resistance to proliferation. Sustainability goals call for fast neutron spectra and for recycling actinides. New applications and economic competitiveness call for high temperature technologies for improved conversion efficiencies. These orientations require breakthroughs beyond light water reactors. In this context, the CEA decided to focus prospective R&D work on the development of a consistent set of gas cooled nuclear systems ranging from medium term reactor projects to a longer term vision of sustainable nuclear systems using fast neutrons with a closed and integrated fuel cycle. This range covers a wide variety of high temperature applications. All of them are studied in the context of proliferation resistance improvement. A specific research and development programme is currently being implemented, with major emphasis on fuel particles, high temperature materials, systems technology, compact spent fuel processing and re-fabrication processes. This programme anticipates the construction of large experimental facilities in the next decade, along with substantial efforts in the validation of computational tools, procedures for feasibility and performance studies, proliferation resistance analysis, and strong connections with fundamental research. The paper introduces this programme and reviews the characteristics of the advanced cycles under development, with special focus on their features relevant to proliferation resistance, both in terms of their intrinsic properties and their suitability to extrinsic institutional measures. In addition, future nuclear energy systems studies are the subject of numerous international exchanges and collaboration projects. The CEA with industrial partners also defend their ambitious vision of future nuclear energy systems within the Generation IV International Forum. All those programmes include, as an integral component, the consideration of proliferation resistance characteristics.