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Economic assessment of the iris reactor for deployment in Brazil using inpro methodology
- Publication date
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- IEN
Abstract
This paper presents the main results of the evaluation of the economic competitiveness of the International
Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS) for deployment in Brazil using the assessment methodology developed
under the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), co-ordinated by the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). INPRO was initiated in 2001 and has the main objective of
helping to ensure that nuclear energy will be available to contribute in a sustainable manner to the energy needs of the 21st century. Among its missions are the development of a methodology to assess innovative nuclear energy systems (INS) on a global, regional and national basis, and to facilitate the co-operation among IAEA Member States for planning the development and deployment of INS. Brazil joined INPRO since its beginning and in 2005 submitted a proposal for the screening assessment of two small-sized integral-type PWR reactors as alternative components of an INS completed with a conventional open nuclear fuel cycle based on enriched uranium. This paper outlines the rationale and the main results of the economic assessment of the IRIS-based INS completed in August 2008. The study concluded that IRIS reference design satisfies most of INPRO criteria in the area of economics