France Will Spend One Billion Euro on Next Generation Nuclear Reactor


One billion Euro of a larger 35 billion euro spending plan will likely provide a boost to the Anteres Very High Temperature Reactor

6 page pdf on the Anteres reactor proposal from Areva

a 16 page presentation from 2006 on Europe, US, Canada, Japan, South Korean plan for a Very High Temperature Reactor

TARGET PERFORMANCES for the VHTR
– Reactor parameters
» Thermal power output : up to 600 MWt
» Life time: > 60 years
» Core outlet gas temperature: > 900°C – 1 000 °C*
– Fuel parameters: TRISO coated particles
» Enrichment: LEU 8% -19.9 %
» Burnup: up to 150-200 GWd/t
– Power conversion unit:
» Direct (helium) or indirect cycle (He + N2)
» Net efficiency: > 50%
– Hydrogen production*:
» Heating source temperature: > 900°C – 1 000°C
» Net efficiency: > 50%

Some €1 billion was dedicated to Generation IV nuclear power reactors, which official documents noted would be even safer and use less uranium than current designs. There are as yet no details of timescales or potential projects, but one possibility could be a demonstration of the Antares high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, which Areva has previously proposed. Older documents from the company promoted a program to develop a commercially competitive model of the 600 MWt modular design which could be suitable for process hear applications such as hydrogen production.