Prospects for Transmutation of Nuclear Waste and the future

MYRRHA-demonstrator

Alex C. Mueller

National Institute for Nuclear and Particle Physics (IN2P3), France

Despite the tsunami-induced nuclear accident in Fukushima, many countries are planning a significant increase of the nuclear part in their energy mix because of the potential for true sustainability.  On the other hand there is also a strong nuclear opposition, the longlived nuclear waste being a major concern.  The concept of Partitioning & Transmutation holds the promise of a solution.  It deploys fast neutron reactors, critical and accelerator-driven subcritical ones (ADS). MYRRHA is a project in Belgium, at SCK-CEN research center at Mol, for the demonstration of these technologies (and a number of additional applications).  The talk introduces the general context, focuses then on the physics and technologie of transmutation and concludes with  "roadmap towards MYRRHA".