MISSION OF FUGEN(ATR) PROJECT



　Mission of Fugen(ATR) Project

In May 1966, the Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) announced "Basic Policies on Development of Power Reactors." In this report, the commission drew up the basic plan regarding Japan's nuclear fuel policies in the future and development of power reactors, with the principle that "the nuclear fuel cycle shall be established in Japan for the purposes of realizing a stable supply and efficient use of nuclear fuel." It also announced that research and development for the implementation of the plans should be self-dependent in order to improve the level of science and technology in Japan and to strengthen Japan's industrial foundation. While the ideas that the domestic fuel cycle should be based on the international nuclear fuel cycle, and technologies should be imported from overseas still existed, the statement declared it aimed at establishing self-dependent nuclear fuel cycle for the ultimate purposes of providing a stable supply of energy and ensuring energy security. Taking into consideration the flexible core characteristics of ATR and the possibility of using LWR technologies and experiences, the government decided to pursue development of the prototype reactor and constructed Fugen. ATR was expected to demonstrate, the efficient use of nuclear fuels, such as depleted uranium and plutonium in the early stages.
As mentioned above, Fugen took on two major missions as a national project. One was to demonstrate the full-scale utilization of plutonium as a forerunner of the national strategies to establish a self-dependent nuclear fuel cycle. The second mission was, as symbolized in the phrase "self-dependent development," to improve technologies in large industries in Japan and to accelerate their maturation while making the most of the technologies of existing LWRs, and to enhance the overall industrial structure by strengthening the foundation of related industries, advancing development of infrastructure, and upgrading the level of technology. Additionally, the technological feasibility of ATR as a power plant designed and constructed by original conception was aimed to be proved.



Development of Fugen