Preparing the future : New challenges for nuclear energy systems

2Dec
2003

Speaker: Jacques BOUCHARD, Nuclear Energy Director, CEA

Nuclear energy is a young technology, which has been subjected to many changes since its beginning in the 50’s, and whose evolutions will be even more important in the 21st century, in order to adapt to social requirements.

The first and the second generations of reactors met the need of intensive energy production, with low costs and acceptable levels of safety. x 

The third generation has been conceived after Three Miles Island and Chernobyl accidents, and has focused on a higher level on safety. For example, the “EPR” is one of the concepts which could be built, meeting French and German safety requirements; it is proposed all over the world, amongst other designs, to replace the current fleet.

The fourth generation answers to sustainable development goals, minimizing the waste quantity and their radio toxicity, increasing proliferation resistance and optimizing the use of natural resources. But they can’t be industrialized before 2035/ 2040, due to the technical breakthroughs necessary to create them.

To prepare this future, R&D has to face new challenges, as M. Bouchard explained.