Symposium on small modular reactors held

Islamabad

“The need of current times is to have small reactors with an output of less than 300MW as compared to conventional reactors as they can be transported easily to the required site.”

This was stated by Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad (N.I., H.I., S.I.) former chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) while addressing the researchers and scientists at first symposium on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) organised by Pakistan Nuclear Society here at National Centre for Physics.

Prior to this Dr. Syed Javaid Khurshid, President Pakistan Nuclear Society welcomed the distinguished guests of the symposium. While giving the overview of PNS he said that Pakistan Nuclear Society is the credible advocate for the advancement and promotion of nuclear science, technology and allied disciplines in the country. It is playing an important role in disseminating basic information on the use and application of nuclear energy in various fields and thereby contributing towards public under- standing of the potential of nuclear energy. It is also enhancing awareness in public about safe use of radiation and isotope based technology in the sectors of environment, industry, health & agriculture.

He further added that Pakistan is increasing its capacity of producing more nuclear energy and the share of nuclear energy has increased from 3.6 to 5.7 in just one year and beside that the ageing and decommissioning of nuclear plants is also on papers, Actually we are facing challenges of Nuclear Knowledge Management, on which every country is paying lot of emphasis as about 150,000 nuclear scientist have been retired throughout the world and 15,000 are retiring every year, it is estimated that up to the end of 2017 about 40% nuclear workforce in the world will hit retirement age. Dr. Javaid showed his concern over not teaching nuclear physics in the universities as it will lead to the non-availability of nuclear physicists.

Dr. Tariq Solaija, advisor to the PAEC Chairman also appreciated this activity as first step in achieving the goals of SMRs in Pakistan. During the symposium different presentations were delivered by the experts. The symposium was attended by a large number of experts, scientists and researchers of the field. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are a type of nuclear fission reactor which are smaller than conventional reactors, and manufactured at a plant and brought to a site to be fully constructed.

Small reactors are defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency as those with an electricity output of less than 300 MWe, although general opinion is that anything with an output of less than 500 MWe counts as a small reactor.

Modular reactors allow for less on-site construction, increased containment efficiency, and heightened nuclear materials security. There may be some economic benefits to SMRs as well. While the small power output of an SMR means that electricity will cost more per MW than it would from a larger reactor, the initial cost of building the plant is much less than that of constructing a much more complex, non-modular, large nuclear plant. It makes an SMR a smaller-risk venture for power companies than other nuclear power plants.