On March 25, at the «XIII International Forum ATOMEXPO 2024», a round table will be held on the topic “Development of the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) in dual-component energy: current challenges and sustainable solutions.”
The event will be attended by representatives of leading Russian and international companies (Rosatom State Corporation, Techsnabekport JSC, TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom, etc.), scientific organizations, subject matter experts, public organizations from China, Hungary, Belarus and other countries. The session will be moderated by Alexander Bychkov, IAEA expert.
The central topics of discussion will be current issues of technological and innovative development based on solutions offered by the global nuclear industry. Discussion participants from around the world, along with traditional issues of uranium mining, conversion and enrichment shortages, improved fabrication and reliability of supplies, will discuss ways to increase the scale of reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), acceptable conditioning of radioactive waste (RAW), the specifics of handling energy-grade plutonium and etc.
Also during the event, there will be a discussion of the main trends in the development of the modern nuclear fuel cycle in the context of modern geopolitical challenges, as well as ways to solve the priority problems facing the main players in the nuclear fuel cycle market through international cooperation.
The event will take place from 16:30 to 18:00 in hall No. 4 of the Main Media Center. Entry for forum participants is free. An online broadcast will be available on the forum website: https://2024.atomexpo.ru/ (in Russian and English).
For reference:
In the modern world, two-component nuclear energy is becoming more and more real today: fast reactors are being built in Russia, China, India, and are being developed in France, Japan, Korea, and the USA. This circumstance poses new challenges for the nuclear fuel cycle.
The “Breakthrough” project implemented by the State Corporation “Rosatom” is aimed at achieving a new quality of nuclear energy, the development, creation and industrial implementation of a closed nuclear fuel cycle (CNFC) based on fast neutron reactors. The project is being implemented by leading Russian scientists with the participation of a number of industry institutes (IPPE named after A.I. Leipunsky, JSC NIKIET, JSC Afrikantov OKBM, etc.). As part of the Breakthrough, it is planned to create a nuclear energy complex, including a nuclear power plant; production of regeneration (reprocessing) and refabrication of nuclear fuel. An experimental demonstration energy complex (ODEC) is being built on the territory of the Siberian Chemical Combine (Seversk, Tomsk region). It will include a power unit with a BREST-OD-300 reactor with a lead coolant and a station plant, including a reprocessing module (RP) of irradiated mixed uranium-plutonium (nitride) fuel and a fabrication/refabrication module (MFR) for the production of starting fuel rods from imported ones materials (and subsequently - fuel elements from processed irradiated nuclear fuel). The complex must demonstrate the stable operation of facilities ensuring the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle.
«The ATOMEXPO International Forum» is one of the main congress and exhibition events of the global nuclear industry, organized with the support of the Rosatom State Corporation. The forum has been held annually since 2009. This is the largest business and exhibition platform where leaders of leading industry companies and leading experts discuss the challenges of developing nuclear technologies, strengthen partnerships and exchange best practices. The forum format includes an exhibition and an extensive business program, the main topics of which are traditionally the development of nuclear energy as an environmentally friendly source of energy; human capital management; creation of nuclear energy infrastructure; energy financing and investment; development of non-power nuclear technologies and many others. As part of the Forum, cooperation agreements are traditionally signed between Russian companies and foreign partners.
Russia is actively developing cooperation with friendly states. The implementation of large joint energy projects continues. Rosatom and its divisions take an active part in this work.