Under the guidance of the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) held the establishment conference of the Integrated Closed Loop Fast Reactor Nuclear Energy System (referred to as "Integrated Fast Reactor") Innovation Consortium at the China Academy of Atomic Energy. The purpose of this conference is to implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, fully leverage the advantages of the new national system, work together to carry out scientific and technological breakthroughs, and accelerate the development of new quality productivity in the nuclear industry.
Leaders from the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau of the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Second and Tenth Departments of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, the National Energy Administration, and the National Nuclear Safety Administration attended the meeting. Yu Jianfeng, Secretary of the Party Group and Chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Seven academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and more than 200 representatives from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, the China Nuclear Society and relevant central enterprises, scientific research institutions and universities attended the meeting. Xin Feng, member of the Party Group and Deputy General Manager of China National Nuclear Corporation, presided over the meeting.
Yu Jianfeng pointed out that the "three-step" strategy for nuclear energy is a national strategy leading the development of nuclear energy in China, and the establishment of the integrated fast reactor innovation consortium is an important measure to accelerate the implementation of the "three-step" strategy for nuclear energy. CNNC will always adhere to the concept of "openness, coordination, joint construction and sharing", better play the role of enterprises as the main body of innovation, effectively play the synergy role of the integrated fast reactor innovation consortium, fully demonstrate the institutional advantages of focusing on major issues, gather resources and cooperate in tackling key problems, promote the key core technology and strategic traction projects of the integrated fast reactor to achieve major breakthroughs as soon as possible, and build strategic support for achieving the "dual carbon" goal, promoting Chinese path to modernization and building a nuclear power and a scientific and technological power. Yu Jianfeng put forward three proposals to the co construction units of the integrated fast reactor innovation consortium: firstly, to embrace the "greater good of the country" and serve the national strategy. We need to focus on the "four orientations", forge national strategic scientific and technological strength, and strive to become the main force supporting major scientific and technological innovations and serving the national strategy. The second is to concentrate resources and breakthroughs in key technologies. Optimize and improve the organizational model and institutional mechanism for strategic research and development of integrated fast reactors, increase collaboration, accelerate the integrated development of "research and development production application" of integrated fast reactors, and achieve comprehensive leadership in the field of fast reactors in China as soon as possible. The third is to strengthen organizational leadership and enhance collaborative efforts. We need to continuously optimize and improve the construction and operation mechanism of innovation consortia, gather innovation resources, stimulate innovation vitality, innovate new models of strategic scientific and technological research and development for state-owned and central enterprises, and enhance the core function of serving national strategies through high-level collaboration.
Jia Xingyuan, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau of the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, pointed out that the implementation of innovation consortia is an important measure for the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to implement the Party Central Committee and the State Council's measures to strengthen the main position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, and to play the "three roles" of scientific and technological innovation, industrial control, and security support. Require innovation consortia to focus on national strategies, condense and undertake major national tasks, improve operational mechanisms, deepen collaborative innovation between industry, academia, research and application, and innovate the entire chain from basic research to industrialization. Through practical actions, build an upgraded version of the central enterprise innovation consortium and accelerate the realization of high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement.
Yu Xiaoli, Deputy Director of the Second Department of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, pointed out that fast reactors are a key step in the "three-step" development strategy of nuclear energy. The integrated fast reactor nuclear energy system is of great significance for building an advanced nuclear fuel closed-loop system, supporting national energy security, resource security, ecological security, accelerating the formation of new quality productivity, and promoting the high-quality development of the nuclear industry. We should fully leverage the role of innovation consortia, vigorously collaborate with domestic advantageous enterprises and institutions to tackle key issues, accelerate the research and industrialization of integrated fast reactors, and provide strong support for the stable and far-reaching development of nuclear energy with high quality.
Ye Guoan, an academician of the CAS Member and the chief scientist of CNNC, delivered a special report titled "Technical Connotation and Development Outlook of Integrated Fast Reactor", which introduced in detail the development roadmap of China's nuclear energy and nuclear fuel cycle, as well as the concept, connotation and implementation effect of the integrated fast reactor project.
At the meeting, the launch ceremony for the establishment of the Innovation Consortium was held, and the list of the Innovation Consortium Expert Committee was announced and the appointment letter was issued. The 10 member units of the Innovation Consortium Command jointly signed the commitment letter for the integrated fast reactor research and development task.
Keyword Q&A
Advanced stage of nuclear fission energy development
It is understood that the integrated fast reactor is a strategic landmark project of the second step of the "three-step" strategy for nuclear energy. Can you briefly introduce the value and significance of the "integrated fast reactor"? And its role in promoting and supporting the construction of a technological and nuclear power?
Yin Weiping, Director of the Technology Quality and Digitalization Department of China National Nuclear Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Yin"): The integrated fast reactor nuclear energy system has the characteristics of high resource utilization and environmental friendliness. Compared with traditional pressurized water reactors, it only consumes 1% of uranium resources and produces 1% of long-lived actinide nuclides, which has significant advantages in cleanliness and low-carbon. Each unit can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 6 million tons per year and significantly reduce other atmospheric pollutants such as sulfur dioxide.
It provides the safety, sustainability, and environmental friendliness of nuclear energy systems through integrated design, making it an advanced stage in the development of nuclear fission energy and a realistic choice for large-scale and long-term sustainable development of nuclear energy. Forming a mutually reinforcing and collaborative development pattern with pressurized water reactor nuclear energy systems, supporting the construction of safe and stable base load energy; Building a new energy system in China together with renewable energy and traditional fossil fuels - therefore, the research and development of integrated fast reactor nuclear energy systems plays a strong role in ensuring national energy security, leading technology and advanced productivity, helping China to take a leading position in the international advanced nuclear energy field, and enhancing the overall capabilities of China's nuclear industry. It is an inevitable requirement for building a strong nuclear industry country in the new era and strengthening the national security system and capabilities. It is a major scientific and technological project that closely integrates the major strategic needs of the country with the high-quality development of the national economy, and closely integrates innovative development of new quality productive forces and high-level technological self-reliance.
Realize commercial demonstration by 2035
Could you please introduce the current research and development process of the "Integrated Fast Reactor"? What work have we carried out? What other deployments are there in the future?
Yin: Designing and developing an integrated fast reactor requires breakthroughs in key technologies such as million kilowatt sodium cooled fast reactors, metal fuels, dry treatment, and waste preparation, involving significant technological innovations in multiple fields.
In 2021, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has made a forward-looking layout and invested 1.54 billion yuan to conduct key technology research. The goal is to fully master the key technologies of integrated fast reactors, including reactors, metal fuels, and dry treatment, during the 14th Five Year Plan period. The technology maturity will be raised to level 5-6, an advanced digital design platform will be established, preliminary design of integrated fast reactor standards and technical and economic feasibility studies will be completed, and the construction goals and implementation plans of integrated fast reactor demonstration projects will be determined.
In the past three years, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has strengthened organizational management, enhanced resource security, and extensively collaborated with domestic advantageous forces to tackle key technologies, achieving good results. At present, the conceptual design of the integrated fast reactor plant has been completed, and the overall system parameters and main process flow have been determined. We have completed simulated fuel alloy melting and injection casting experiments, as well as kilogram level uranium zirconium alloy electrolytic refining process experiments, and achieved a series of innovative results.
In the future, China National Nuclear Corporation will actively promote the inclusion of integrated fast reactors in major national science and technology projects. The first demonstration project of integrated fast reactor is planned to be completed around 2035, achieving commercial demonstration.
The "Trinity" of Fast Reactor Innovation Chain, Industry Chain, and Talent Chain
Reporter: What are the key core technologies that urgently need to be broken through in the current major technology projects of the "integrated fast reactor"? What role will the establishment of the "Integrated Fast Reactor" innovation consortium play in promoting this project?
Yin: The integrated fast reactor nuclear energy system involves a wide range of areas, multiple technical fields, and a long research and development cycle. It is necessary to leverage the advantages of the new national system, form an innovation consortium to gather innovative resources, carry out collaborative research and development, and accelerate the key core technology research and industrialization process. To leverage the advantages of the new national system and fight the battle against core technologies.
In 2024, the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission approved China National Nuclear Corporation to launch the construction of the "Integrated Closed Loop Fast Reactor Nuclear Energy System Innovation Consortium", aiming to complete the integrated fast reactor demonstration project by 2035. The innovation consortium units will comprehensively undertake key technology research, design verification, R&D condition matching, and demonstration project construction.
In order to ensure the effectiveness and synergy of the innovation consortium, the integrated fast reactor innovation consortium has established a command center, office, expert committee, 7 technical groups, and 3 working groups, as well as 26 innovation teams. It has gathered 42 units from fields such as nuclear power, nuclear fuel cycle, advanced manufacturing, and basic scientific research to participate in the construction, and has achieved a number of phased results. The integrated fast reactor innovation consortium has formed a professional committee led by 9 academicians and composed of a group of well-known experts in the industry, forming a strong platform support consisting of nearly 50 R&D centers, key laboratories, and experimental facility clusters of participating units, gathering the strong synergy of China's fast reactor innovation chain, industry chain, and talent chain.
