XYLENE POWER LTD.

FNR REGULATORY FIASCO IN USA

By Charles Rhodes, P.Eng., Ph.D.

FNRs ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF MANKIND:

Yet the US regulatory authorities seem unable to introduce even relatively simple regulations to allow development of Fast Neutron Reactors (FNRs) to proceed in the USA or in other countries that emulate the USA in nuclear regulations.

The following youtube webinar reveals the sad state of the US nuclear regulations as they pertain to FNRs.

Here is a link to a very informative webinar originaly on February 6, 2023. The interesting part starts 9 minutes into the recording and runs for almost 1.5 hours.

The speaker reveals the sad state of the US nuclear regulatory system as it pertains to advanced reactors, particularly FNRs.
 

Three FNR specific topics that must be addressed by regulation are:
1) Preventing damage via the sodium void instability;
2) Sodium/NaK fire prevention/suppression;
3) The enclosure specifications in terms of resistance to tornados, airplane impacts, etc.

From a liability insurance perspective the insurers are most concerned about limiting the worst possible impact of an accident on the public. In that respect containment of airborne toxins caused by an airplane impact, a prompt critical reactor condition and a sodium/NaK fire needs to be addressed.

This web page last updated March 6, 2023.