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Aug. 9, 2012
[Nuts and bolts of announcement]
JAEA started the cooperation in safety research on high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) with Nuclear Technology Safety Center (NTSC) which is in charge of safety research of the HTGR planned to be constructed in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
JAEA will cooperate with the establishment of safety design guideline, safety evaluation guideline, and related codes and standards for the HTGR in the Republic of Kazakhstan by using the experiences gained in the successful licensing application for the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR).
JAEA (President, Dr. Atsuyuki Suzuki) started the cooperation on safety research of HTGR with NTSC (Executive director, Dr. Irina Tazhibayeva) based on implementing arrangement between JAEA and NTSC for cooperation in safety research on HTGR.
According to AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FOR COOPERATION IN THE PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGYE(coming into force in May, 2011), design, construction and operation of light water reactors and high temperature gas-cooled reactorsE safety of light water reactors and high temperature gas-cooled reactorsEare described as parts of seven cooperation areas. JAEA has been promoting the technical support to the development of Kazakhstan high temperature gas-cooled reactor (KHTR) based on IMPREMENTING ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGANCY AND THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR CENTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FOR COOPERATION IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR ENERGU AND TECHNOLOGYEsigned in 2009.
On the other hand, Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee is charged in the establishment of the licensing and safety design guideline for KHTR. JAEA signed the memorandum entitled MEMORANDUM BETWEEN THE JAPAN ATOMIC NERGY AGENCY AND THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMITTEE OF THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FOR THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE ON SAFETY RESEARCH REGARDING THE HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOREin 2008 considering the outcome of research and development obtained from safety demonstration test in HTTR is very useful to the safety research for KHTR. As for the detailed contents of research cooperation, JAEA has been discussing with NTSC which is in charge of safety research of the nuclear energy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In June, 2012, JAEA and NTSC signed the implementing arrangement entitled IMPLEMENTING ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AND THE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY SAFETY CENTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FOR COOPERATION IN SAFETY RESEARCH ON HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTORE(See attached photo.) The first specialist meeting based on this arrangement was held in the city of Almaty, the Republic of Kazakhstan at the end of August, 2012 to start the safety design research aiming at the establishment of guidelines of safety design and safety evaluation for KHTR.
JAEA will cooperate with the establishment of safety design guideline, safety evaluation guideline, and related codes and standards for the HTGR in the Republic of Kazakhstan by using the knowledge and experiences gained through the successful licensing application for the HTTR, which was constructed at Oarai Research and Development Center in JAEA. The outcomes obtained from cooperation by JAEA and NTSC will be expected to contribute to the international standardization with technologies of HTGR made in Japan.
[Background of research cooperation]
In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the development of Kazakhstan high temperature gas-cooled reactor (KHTR project) is under consideration. The purpose of the KHTR project is to construct the small sized HTGR with thermal output of 50MW at the city of Kurchatov, the Republic of Kazakhstan. The KHTR can supply the electricity and heat to the city, and in the future produce hydrogen by using the heat generated by KHTR. The KHTR project is described in the national program in the Republic of Kazakhstan entitled Development Program of nuclear power industry in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011 - 2014 with the prospect of development until 2020Edeclared by the government in June, 2011.
JAEA has been carrying out the conceptual examination of the small sized HTGR which has excellent inherent safety characteristics, and can supply the electricity and heat to regional city in which the infrastructure of transmission of electric energy is not well developed.
[Contents of research cooperation]
To construct HTGR in the Republic of Kazakhstan, it is necessary to conduct the basic design of reactor system. The establishment of the guidelines for safety design and evaluation, and related codes and standards are inevitable to completing the basic design of reactor system.
HTTR being the first HTGR in Japan was constructed in JAEA. The guidelines of safety design and safety evaluation for HTTR were set up referring to Guidelines for Safety Design of LWR Power PlantEand Guideline for Safety Evaluation of LWR Power Plant (Safety Evaluation Guideline)E(in Japan) taking into account the inherent safety characteristics of the HTGR and the design requirements as a test reactor. The knowledge and experiences obtained from the procedure of the establishment of such guidelines for HTTR are relevant and beneficial to developing the guidelines for KHTR. Therefore, JAEA will review timely the activities of NTSC to establish the guidelines and associated codes and standards for KHTR and to advise NTSC based on the knowledge and experiences obtained from the procedure of obtaining the licensing, construction, and operation permits for HTTR. Though such cooperation, it is expected that the establishments of the guidelines of safety design and safety evaluation, and related codes and standards for KHTR can proceed effectively.
Implementing arrangement of safety research on HTGR was signed in June, 2012
(Executive director of JAEA, Mr. Ito and Executive director of NTSC, Dr. Tazhibayeva)
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