New Japan Report Highlights ‘Competitive’ FBR Development Costs
Written by NucNet
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
The cost of implementing fast breeder reactor (FBR) technology for commercial use is “competitive” when considering factors such as high thermal efficiency, according to a new report by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).
JAEA considered costs and related issues in a progress report on the country’s fast reactor cycle technology development programme, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) reported today.
In terms of economic competitiveness, FBR fuel cycle technology was considered “somewhat more expensive than future light water reactor technology”, with estimated construction costs for two units in the region of 780 billion Japanese yen (about 9 billion US dollars; 7 billion euro), and a construction period of about 37 to 40 months.
However, JAEA still sees FBR development as competitive when taking into account factors such as high thermal efficiency and the use of high burn-up fuel, JAIF said.
According to JAIF, the progress report has been sent to the Japan Atomic Energy Commission as the country works towards “full commercialisation” of fast reactor and related fuel cycle technology within about the next 40 years.
A detailed report in English is available in the ‘Atoms in Japan’ section of JAIF’s website
