Fifth international workshop for fast reactors with liquid metal coolant was opened in Obninsk, Russia. The host organization for the meeting of leading world experts in fast breeders is the Obninsk Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE).
"Today we are gathering here in the frame of Strategic Small Club for fast reactors. This club has been established at the beginning of century by the representatives of four countries - USA, France, Japan and Russia. So, now we are starting the regular session of our club, which is to discuss the actual problems of fast reactor technology application for energy supply and stable development of civilization", the head of the IPPE Anatoly Zrodnikov said.
The participant geography is expanded, and this is one more proof of growing interest to the fast reactors around the world. The experts from 10 countries came in Obninsk to engage in the current event. The Russian Federation is represented by the delegations from twelve leading scientific organizations which play the key role in the development of new reactor technology for the Russian nuclear power plants.
Mr. Jacques Bouchard from French CEA Nuclear Energy Division could be rightfully named as one of co-founders of the Obninsk fast reactor club. Speaking to participants, he reminds that all the countries who are interesting in the fast reactors are facing the same problems to get less expansive, very efficient and very safe tools able to produce energy in a safe way.
The workshop is going on the friendly air. Mr. Oleg Kazachkovsky, who is the honored scientist and one of pioneers of the fast reactor in Russia, said: "Dear colleagues and friends, I emphasize the word friends because I consider all like-minded persons who is working on fast reactor as my friends."
In first day of workshop, the most exciting topic for discussion was the situation with the fuel for fast reactors. The authors of proper reports from Russia and the United States have answered the questions till the lunch break, and everybody wanted to receive as more information as possible regarding the fuel experiments in these two countries. Some disputes have followed the report, prepared by the experts from the IPPE and the OKBM and devoted to the closed fuel cycle with fast reactors as a basis for sustainable development of Russia.
SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru
DATE: October 10, 2007
Topics: Russia, Fast breeders