Advanced Reactors with Innovative Fuels : Workshop Proceedings, Villigen, Switzerland 21-23 October 1998

Plutonium and minor actinide burning or recycling in thermal and fast reactors is being studied in many countries with the aim of maintaining and developing fuel cycle options which can be adjusted to changing demands and constraints. The challenge is to move towards an economically and socially sustainable nuclear energy system based on advanced reactors - advanced water-cooled reactors, fast reactors and perhaps accelerator-based, hybrid reactors - and new types of fuel cycles which help to minimise the waste arising. An additional issue concerns the availability of resources for the long-term future. This workshop introduced new ideas on R&D activities and identified areas and research tasks relevant for the deployment of new systems and in which international co-operation can be strengthened. The roles played by existing experimental facilities as well as possible needs for new ones are discussed. The conclusions of the technical sessions are synthesised and the results of a round table discussion on international co-operation are presented.