Nuclear Reactors in the Soviet Union - USSR -

Soviet experts believe the basis for the choice of a breeder clearly favors the adoption, in power programs, of high speed sodium reactors, initially functioning as converters and later passing to the phase of self fertilization at a doubling time of seven to eight years. The construction of a nuclear plant takes 4 to 5 years 3 to 5 years to obtain operating experience. Thus, the assessment of results that can be obtained with a given plant can be carried out in a time period of about 10 years. Therefore, if an industrial high speed reactor is to be developed, and if the necessary industry is to be developed by the end of the 70s a period of time during which it is expected that competitive high speed nuclear reactors will be built in other countries energetic action is now necessary. There are two main reasons for the development of high speed reactors the first refers to low cost reserves of uranium minerals, and the second refers to construction of nuclear plants for the simultaneous production of electricity and heat, as well as of very low cost fuel.