NUCLEAR ENERGY, AN

ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE

CHRISTOPHE BÉHAR

CEA, DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR ENERGY DIVISION

SEPTEMBER 9th, 2014

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1- The problematic of Energy

2- The situation of Europe

3- The French case

| PAGE 2

THE PROBLEMATIC OF ENERGY

A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF THE WORLD ENERGY NEEDS IN THE NEAR-FUTURE

Whatever the scenario, the world energy needs is set to increase

significantly, mostly driven by non OECD countries development

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 3

* References : WORLD ENERGY OUTLOOK 2012

* Projection : bouquet énergétique mondial jusqu'en 2050

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Source AIE (2006)

MT

ep

par

an

Charbon Pétrole Gaz Autres énergies renouvelables Nucléaire Hydraulique

Coal Oil Gaz Other renewable energy Nuclear Hydraulic

Forecast : world Energy mix up to 2050

MT e

p pe

r yea

r

THE SITUATION OF EUROPE EUROPA ENERGY POLICY CRITERIA

Energy Policy Criteria

• Lowering CO2 emission

• Lowering Cost

• Decreasing Energy Dependance Rate

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 4

LOWERING CO2 EMISSIONS

• Nuclear and Hydraulic Energy are the most efficient as regards to CO2

Emissions

• They will keep the bigger share of low carbon energy in 2035, whatever the

scenario (world energy outlook 2012)

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 5

LOWERING COST

Nuclear Energy is set to remain competitive in the long term

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 6

DECREASING ENERGY DEPENDANCE RATE

Herman Van Rompuy

European business Summit/May 2013

The awareness of the Europe Energy Dependency on Europe competitivity is rising among European leaders

by 2035 over 80% of our energy will be imported

| PAGE 7

NET TRADE BALANCE FOR FRANCE

millions of euros

Fossil fuel imports represents over 95% of France’s trade deficit

in 2012- (69 billions €)

France keeps heading fixed by the European Climate-Energy Package in 2020

Two pillars of the 2020 French energy mix:

Renewable: intermittent supply

Nuclear energy: base-load supply

preserve the use of fossil energies for necessary needs

Nuclear and Renewable :

Reduction by 20% of emissions of greenhouse

gases (compared to 1990)

With a 20% share of renewable energy

in the energy mix

Reduction by 20% of the overall consumption

of primary energy

| 8

TWO PILLARS OF THE ENERGY MIX IN FRANCE IN 2020 RENEWABLE AND NUCLEAR ENERGY

FRANCE : FAST REACTOR AND ASSOCIATED FUEL CYCLE

AS A KEYSTONE OF SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY

MASTERING PLUTONIUM STOCKPILE IN SPENT FUELS

USING THE TOTAL POTENTIAL ENERGETIC OF NATUREL URANIUM

MINIMISING VOLUME AND RADIOTOXICITY OF NUCLEAR WASTE

FAST REACTOR INDISPENSABLE FOR

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 9

1 - Sodium Fast Reactor, the reference option :

[ASTRID, the integrated technology demonstrator]

- maturity, possible further improvments (safety, operability, economics)

- developped with industrial and international partners

2 - Gas-cooled Fast Reactor, a long-term

option: the Allegro project

-Contribution of CEA to the V4G4 consortium (Hungary,

Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia)

- attractive potentialities but heavy challenges…

FRANCE 2008 ATOMIC ENERGY COMMITTEE GUIDELINES

Fast neutron reactors : two options considered

THE ASTRID PROJECT

Main features 1500 thMW - ~600 eMW

Pool type reactor

With an intermediate sodium circuit

High level expectations in terms of safety demonstration

Preliminary strategy for severe accidents (core catcher…)

Diversified decay heat removal systems

Oxide fuel UO2-PuO2 for starting cores

Transmutation capability

Fuel handling in sodium

Open options Core design

Energy conversion system

-Reference water / steam

-Alternative : N 2

-Number of loops

-Devices to eliminate severe accidents

-(i,e, 3 rd shutdown level)

-Core catcher technology

-Innovative technologies for Na fires detection and mastering

-I&C

ASTRID FUEL CYCLE DEVELOPMENT

ASTRID - PRELIMINARY DESIGN CHOICES

Most of these options have been decided during the pre-

conceptual design up to end 2012, some still on-going in

2013

ASTRID FUEL Fabrication Facilities

AFC Project (# 10 t/y), several scenarios under assessment

SFR closed cycle demonstration (U and Pu multi-recycling):

ATC, a Specific Engineering Scale Facility, or adaptation of the La Hague Head End (shearing

and dissolution)

M.A. transmutation demonstration: Extension of the AFC

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 11

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019 2020

17/12/2012

Decision to

implement

preliminary design

phase 2

Preliminary

Options

ASTRID AND ASSOCIATED FUEL CYCLE FACILITIES

SCHEDULE

Milestone:

Decision of

Construction

Preliminary

design

Phase 1

Preliminary design

Phase 2

Detailed

design

Fuel Loading

and Start Up

Construction

ASTRID

FUEL CYCLE

Feasibility

Report on

Minor Actinides

Partitioning

Position Report on

Minor Actinides

Partitioning &

Transmutation

Core Fabrication

Facility (AFC)

Fuel

Treatment

Facility

(ATC)

R&D on Plutonium Multi-Recycling

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 12

Pu stored in MOX Spent

Fuel recycled in MOX

SFR to start the SFRs

deployement

Scenario can be flexible

Both systems can coexist

during a transition phase

FROM LWRs RECYCLING TO FRs RECYCLING

RNR merits as regards to fuel cycle

No front end steps and no enrichment technology

Use depleted U; Use Pu included in MOX Spent Fuel

Multi-recycling of Pu

Possible recycling of Minor Actinides Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 13

| page 14

NUCLEAR ENERGY WITH CLOSED CYCLE REMAINS ONE OF THE PILLARS

OF THE FRENCH LOW CARBON FUTURE ENERGY MIX

R&D IS NEEDED TO PREPARE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

CLOSE FUEL CYCLE AND FAST REACTOR ARE THE KEYS OF THE

SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

CONCLUSION

Thank you for your attention

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana

2012 REPORT TO THE GOVERNEMENT: THE MAIN

CONCLUSIONS

A larger deployment of FRs could occur in the later steps, to ensure long-lasting nuclear energy… …with retrievability (FR flexible, adaptation to the needs)

Coal 420 Gtoe

Gas

160 Gtoe

Oil 190 Gtoe

Uranium 60 Gtoe

Uranium 7000Gtoe

U in LWRs U in FRs ( full U – Pu recycle)

Non renewable (conventional) earth resource

| PAGE 15

dddd

TRANSMUTATION : IMPACT ON ULTIMATE WASTES

0,1

1

10

100

1000

10000

10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000

Temps (années)

Radi

otox

icité

rela

tive Spent Fuel

Direct

Disposal

Current Glasses

GenIV

U ore

Years after unload

Radto

xic

ity

Once through Current Glasses GenIV

High level waste disposal footprint

Ultimate waste radiotoxicity

100 30 5

| PAGE 16 3

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

U235

U238

Np23

7

Pu2

38

Pu2

39

Pu2

40

Pu2

41

Pu2

42

Am

241

Am

243

Cm

244

Fis

sio

n/A

bso

rpti

on

PWR

SFR

Fission/capture rate for various nuclides in light water reactor (PWR) and on fast neutron reactor (SFR)

In Fast Reactor: all Pu isotopes efficiently fissioned thus allowing Pu

multirecycling and to benefit its energetic potential.

In Light Water Reactor: plutonium recycling leads to accumulate

heavyer plutonium isotopes not suitable for a efficient and safe use in

reactor thus leading to increase the plutonium stockpile.

PLUTONIUM MULTIRECYLING IN FAST REACTOR

Nuclear Energy for New Europe | Conference 2014, Ljubljana | PAGE 17

Robert Hill

ANL, 2007