Reply #35: PBMR technology feasible?

[rainier]

I disagree with your opinion that the PBMR technology is technically feasible. My country, Germany, has spent about 10 bn $ in PBMRs and now it becomes more and evident that there was no success: The dismantling of the small AVR reactor in Juelich, which was quoted in the past as highly successfull, will cost at least 0.8 bn $, or 0.5 $ per kWh of produced electricity. This is, because the reactor was operated at high temperatures (Helium temperatures of 950°C) which is now known not to be possible. The reactor is extremely contaminated, its beta contamination (strontium) is the largest of all nuclear installations world wide (as announced by AVR on WM00 in Tuscon, 2000). Solving technical problems of PBMRs requires similar effort as in the fusion case, which means at least additional 10 to 15 bn $.