A Nonproliferation-by-Design Approach for Advanced Nuclear Reactors

Nonproliferation issues seldom factor into design criteria for nuclear reactors. With numerous advance reactors pursued globally, this will become a significant concern. A nonproliferation-by-design approach is needed to ensure these new reactors do not be- come the weakest link in the nonproliferation regime. Similarly to the safety-by-design culture prevalent in the nuclear industry, this approach must be incorporated into the conceptualization phase of a reactor design. The article starts by reviewing historical rea- sons that led states to proliferate using specific reactors, in order to identify trends. These factors will then be used to define metrics to measure nonproliferation characteristics of Generation IV reactors. It is expected that this methodology will prove most useful with fast reactor concepts, which are often criticized for their proliferation risks. Preliminary results obtained from the simulation of the AFR-100 core illustrate how this methodology can be used.