The Journées des Actinides is an international event series providing an informal and interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of current advances on the physical and chemical properties of actinide elements, (U, Pu, Np, Am, Cm) their alloys and compounds, from fundamental to applied research.
This year, the conference programme included an important new session on Generation IV nuclear fast reactors, given the importance of this technology in burning plutonium and minor actinides (MA), as well as in better using the nuclear fuel during the fuel cycle.
Our Chief Scientific Officer, Luciano Cinotti, was invited to give a presentation in which he shared the potential of the lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) that we are designing and that are internationally recognised as the next step in the evolution of nuclear power plants.
Luciano highlighted how LFRs can allow Europe to maintain the present level of nuclear production for about 1.000 years using already available depleted uranium from traditional nuclear plants. Also they can eliminate the use of geological repository for plutonium and minor actinides produced by nuclear reactions, including the ones generated with the old generation of nuclear reactors. Finally LFRs do not require uranium enrichment.
His presentation was warmly received by the scientific community present at the conference and we are
glad of the opportunity to further develop scientific links within the actinides expertise world.
