OPENING ADDRESS

T. Okazaki

Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, Japan

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

As Conference General Chair of the International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles (FR09) organized by the IAEA, and as a repre-sentative of the host organization for this conference, I would like to deliver an opening address.

First of all, I would like to express my appreciation that so many partici-pants, both from home and abroad, are attending this conference. Above all, I’m most grateful for the commitment that the International Advisory Committee, the International Scientific Programme Committee, the Local Organizational Committee and the Local Executive Committee members have shown in holding this year’s conference, FR09.

For this conference, about 750 participants have registered from 26 countries and three organizations (European Commission, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, IAEA). I’m grateful that so many people are very interested in fast reactor development.

Thinking back on the history of the conference of fast reactor systems, it all started back in 1974 in London. It then continued to be held every few years up until the fifth Kyoto conference in 1991. However, it has been suspended since then and so now, this year, the conference is being held for the first time in 18 years at the same location where we left off in 1991, the Kyoto International Conference Center.

During this period, in the early 1990s, the FFTF and EBR-II experimental reactors in the United States of America were shut down. In 1991, the construction of the SNR-300 prototype reactor in Germany was cancelled for both economic and political reasons, and in 1994, the operation of the PFR prototype reactor was stopped in the United Kingdom. Then, in 1998, the Super Phénix demonstration reactor in France was also shut down. In Japan, there was a sodium leak accident at the Monju prototype reactor in 1995 during a plant performance test.

On the other hand, since 2000, the importance of nuclear energy has been recognized once again as a global energy source for the new century. In 2000, the Generation IV International Forum and the IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles were launched as a new framework

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for multilateral nuclear cooperation. In 2006, the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership started. There has been a new trend in fast reactor development in the nuclear renaissance worldwide.

It has been reported that China’s CEFR experimental reactor is nearly reaching criticality. The BN-800 demonstration reactor in the Russian Federation and India’s PFBR prototype reactor are in preparation for construction. In Japan, Monju, which has long been suspended, is now being prepared for its restart within this fiscal year, by the end of March 2010, and the FaCT project has been promoted as one of the key national technologies aiming at the commercialization of future sodium cooled fast reactor cycles.

Thus, global fast reactor development has just overcome a period of

‘winter-like’ hardship and has entered a new stage of commercialization. There are two key phrases to describe the new period of fast reactor development: “stop global warming” and “prevent the threat of nuclear weapons”.

Regarding the global warming issue, 12 years ago, that is, in 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3), which was held in Kyoto. The COP15 was held in Copenhagen with the goal of forming a framework for greenhouse gas reduction after 2013.

We are aiming to achieve the world common target of reducing by half the emission of greenhouse gases by 2050. It is impossible to reach a solution on this issue without a long standing nuclear energy supply. Particularly when considering the recent rapid increase in the price of natural uranium, the necessity for fast reactor development should again be internationally recognized from the viewpoint of achieving significant effective utilization of uranium resources and decreasing the impact on the global environment, thanks to the reduction of radioactive waste.

Regarding prevention of the threat from nuclear weapons, in Prague in April 2009, US President Barack Obama stated the USA’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons and garnered worldwide sympathy. Then, in September, resolutions on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament were proposed at the United Nations Security Council.

While the Nuclear Security Summit and the NPT Review Conference are to be held this spring, Y. Amano assumed the post of Director General of the IAEA, responsible for promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation.

Against a mood of growing concern over nuclear arms reduction and non-proliferation moving towards a world without nuclear weapons, the securing of non-proliferation is absolutely crucial for fast reactor system development aimed at prolonged support for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

OPENING SESSION

47 The purposes of this conference are to confirm and to discuss significant issues on fast reactor development and related fuel cycle development, as well as to exchange information on achievements of projects and developments multilaterally for its efficient promotion.

Some events to be held include the Young Generation Event to foster discussion among young researchers and students, in addition to oral presenta-tions, poster sessions and panel discussions. Special events such as the Tsuruga session for promoting communication between specialists and the public, as well as the Monju tour on the final day, are also planned.

We hope this conference will lead to a fruitful debate and that international cooperation, and research and development of fast reactors will be further advanced, thereby contributing to knowledge creation and technological development for the prosperity of humankind.

Thank you.

Y. Kawabata

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan

Presented by K. Hakozaki

Good morning, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to express my deep gratitude for your presence at the “International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges and Opportunities”

organized by the IAEA. I would like to make a brief opening address on behalf of MEXT¹.

Firstly, I would like to welcome all who have travelled the long distance to Japan, and to express my thanks to people in Japan for their usual acceptance and for their cooperation on the research, development and use of nuclear technology.

I would also like to thank the staff of the IAEA, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and the commissions for their commitment to organizing this meeting.

Today, humankind faces global issues on a scale never before seen, including global warming and energy resource security. Under such circum-stances, ensuring the energy supply is essential for solving both the energy problem and global climate change simultaneously. This is increasingly being recognized all over the world.

Sharing the recognition, we promote research, development and the use of nuclear energy as the major source of electrical power. We are aiming at the establishment of the fast breeder reactor cycle, which will ensure a long term energy supply, through efficient use of uranium resources.

At MEXT, we continue to promote research and development in order to achieve the early commercialization of the fast breeder reactor cycle, by utilizing the prototype Monju fast breeder reactor.

We are now doing our utmost to restart Monju by the end of March 2010, with the acceptance and cooperation of the local community. After the restart, we will enhance the reliability of Monju as an operational power plant, drawing upon operational experience. At the same time, we will continue research and development of radioactive waste reduction for topics such as minor actinide burning, as well as the enhancement of nuclear non-proliferation. We hope that Monju will play an important role, not only domestically, but also globally as one

1 MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

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of the few high-end fast reactors. This makes Monju a major global centre in the area of nuclear fuel cycle research and development.

In this conference, we can share the fruits of each country’s and each organ-ization’s research and development for the purpose of realizing the nuclear fuel cycle, which is the important international political theme.

Finally, I would like to express my wishes that this conference contributes to the stimulation of further research and development on the fast reactor cycle through active discussions and, ultimately, brings significant benefits to all countries.

Thank you for your kind attention.

OPENING ADDRESS

Y. Amano

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my honour to address participants at this opening session of the Inter-national Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges and Opportunities, organized by the IAEA and hosted by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

Fast reactor technology has the potential to ensure that energy resources which would last hundreds of years with the technology we are using today will actually last several thousand years. In other words, it can satisfy enormous increases in demand.

This innovative technology also reduces the risk to the environment and helps to limit the burden that will be placed on future generations in the form of waste products.

The coming year will be an exciting one for the development of fast spectrum nuclear reactors. We expect to reach several important milestones:

(a) The first criticality of the China Experimental Fast Reactor;

(b) The restart of the Monju prototype fast reactor in Japan;

In the near future, new fast reactors will be commissioned: the 500 MW(e) Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor in India, the first in a series of five of the same type, and the BN-800 reactor in the Russian Federation. Moreover, China, France, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea are preparing advanced prototypes and demonstration or commercial reactors for the 2020–2030 period.

Nuclear power is set to become an increasingly important part of the global energy mix in the coming decades as demand for energy grows. A number of countries in both the developed and developing world have told the IAEA that they are interested in introducing nuclear power. The 30 countries which already have nuclear power reactors are set to build more.

This trend is likely to be accompanied by accelerated deployment of fast reactors. Continued advances in research and technology development are

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necessary to ensure improved economics and maintain high safety levels with increased simplification of fast reactors.

The number of countries with fast reactor development programmes is increasing steadily. Emerging economies are joining the traditional fast reactor technology holders and pursuing important research and technology activities.

The IAEA provides a unique collaborative framework to enable all these players to work together to ensure that innovative fast reactor technology progresses. We provide an ‘umbrella’ for knowledge preservation, information exchange and collaborative R&D in order to pool resources and expertise.

Our Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors promotes the exchange of information on national and multinational programmes and new developments and experience. It aims to identify problems, help find solutions and facilitate practical application of fast neutron systems.

In the Programme and Budget Cycle for 2010–2011, IAEA projects on innovative fast neutron systems will continue to focus on issues addressing fast reactor economics, enhanced safety characteristics, sustainability and public acceptance.

As far as public acceptance is concerned, I believe there is a growing under-standing throughout the world that clean, efficient and safe nuclear energy has a key role to play in meeting the growing demand for energy while minimizing damage to the environment.

Fast reactor technology has a promising future. The IAEA will continue to work with all of you to help interested Member States to benefit from it and to establish, or further enhance, the necessary safety, security and safeguards infra-structure.

Let me conclude by expressing my gratitude to all of the dedicated colleagues in the International Advisory Committee, the International Scientific Committee and the Local Organizing Committee who have worked hard to organize this conference. I wish you every success in your deliberations over the next few days.

OPENING ADDRESS

Dans le document Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges and Opportunities (FR09) | IAEA (Page 56-64)