[Continuation from the previous chapter]
Diverse Pursuits in Next-Generation Reactors
Next-generation reactor technology is attracting attention not only in Japan but globally. Russia is also steadily advancing in this field, but China's efforts are notable for their broad scope.
One example is the High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR).
In China, Tsinghua University has been leading HTGR development. In 2003, it completed the basic research reactor HTR-10, and in December 2012, in partnership with China Nuclear Engineering & Construction Corporation (CNEC) and with investment from China Huaneng Group, it began construction of a demonstration reactor, HTR-PM (located at Huaneng Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant in Shandong Province), with an output of 200,000 kW.
It is reported that power generation may begin soon.
In addition, China is developing a 600,000 kW-class demonstration reactor and a 1,000,000 kW-class commercial reactor, and the HTGR is seen as a promising option for inland nuclear plants.
In the area of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—which have also attracted attention in Japan—the Nuclear Power Institute of China (NPIC), a subsidiary of CNNC, is developing the ACP100 ("Linglong One") as a multi-purpose SMR suitable for regional heating. It has a thermal output of 385,000 kWt and an electric output of 125,000 kW.
The concept involves modularizing the reactor and assembling it in a factory to reduce construction costs. Both CGN and SNPTC are also pursuing their own SMR development initiatives.
Moreover, China is actively developing floating SMRs for maritime nuclear power generation. CNNC is researching the ACP100S, while CGN already began manufacturing the ACPR50S (60,000 kW output) in November 2016.
In the field of Fast Reactors (FRs), China began research in 1965. The China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), under CNNC, built a fast experimental reactor (CEFR, 25,000 kW output), which achieved criticality in 2010 and was connected to the grid in 2011.
CIAE has since moved forward with the construction of a fast neutron reactor (FNR) demonstration plant. In December 2017, it began construction of the CFR-600, with a 600,000 kW output, in Xiapu, Fujian Province.
The Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), expected to be a viable technology for water-scarce inland areas, is also under development. In 2011, a TMSR Center was established at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, and research is ongoing.
Other efforts include the Traveling Wave Reactor (TWR), for which CNNC signed a memorandum of understanding in 2015 with TerraPower, the American nuclear innovation company founded by Bill Gates and others.
In addition, Low-Temperature Heat Reactors (LTHRs) are being developed by both CNNC and CGN as heat sources for district heating.
