GIF roles to develop the next generation reactors (2019-2021)

1) Objectives of GIF
GIF is a cooperative international endeavor set up to carry out the R&D needed to establish the feasibility and performance capabilities of the next generation, nuclear energy system toward the common goals.

The GIF goals are 1) Safety, 2) Sustainability with fuel cycle, 3) Economy of plant construction and operation, and 4) PRPP (Proliferation Resistance & Physical Protection) against the terrorism on nuclear materials.

We set higher goals of these four points. They can be achieved by using sodium as coolant, for example. It brings higher efficiency of nuclear reaction via high speed neutron. We have selected 6 reactor systems, which use their own coolants, sodium, lead, He gas, and so on., in order to reach the GIF goals.

The Generation IV reactor systems can be operated at higher temperatures than the existing light water reactors. This high temperature has great advantage for not only the electricity generation but also various types of heat utilizations.

GIF enhances the international collaborations for the developments of Gen-IV reactors toward the common GIF goals.

2) How to make progress in the GIF activities
We set four points in order to enhance the GIF activities. 1) International standards of Safety design toward the regulation and license of Gen-IV reactors, 2) Market and Opportunity with flexibility, 3) Enhancement of R&D collaboration, and 4) Outreach of the GIF outputs.

First three issues are driven by three GIF vice chairs, coordinated planning with 6 reactor systems by Technical Director, and Technical secretary by OECD/NEA.

Safety design and regulation issues are led by Alice Caponity, US vice chair. Safety design criteria (SDC) and guideline (SDG) have been established for a sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) in GIF. We will expand this activity to other GIF reactor systems. Final goal is a standard in IAEA to be considered in licensing. We will contribute for the discussions of safety regulation in IAEA for the SMR including Gen-IV concepts.

The market and opportunity issues are led by Sylvestre Pivet, France Vice Chair. The Gen-IV systems are operated at high temperature than existing LWR. This contributes to higher efficiency and flexibility for heat utilization and also combination use with variable Renewable Energies, like Solar and Wind. We will promote such R&D collaboration and also wide understanding of such attractive points of Gen-IV systems.

The R&D collaboration was led by Jong-Hyuk BAEK, Korea Vice Chair. We will also promote R&D collaborations on the Innovative Technologies, like advanced material and manufacturing, which are important for SMR developments. Demonstration experiments using R&D infrastructure in each country are also of importance for such collaboration.

Lastly, outreach of GIF outputs is led by me. This is also significant issue for knowledge management and transfer to young generation. I sent a message of higher potential of Gen-IV systems to Policy makers at Clean Energy Ministerial, Break Through Event last year. As for the knowledge transfer, GIF webinar has sent interesting and interactive lectures to the world by high level specialists from the GIF community.

3) What is the future of GIF activity?
The objective of GIF is to realize a clean and sustainable energy systems by using international collaboration. The Gen-IV reactor Technologies can provide the clean energy for one thousand years in the world.

GIF will contribute for such future of energy systems through the collaboration among member countries and also international organizations of OECD/NEA and IAEA.

Hideki KAMIDE, GIF PG chair