New perspectives on nuclear power—Generation IV nuclear energy systems to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and support nuclear disarmament

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 73; pp. 815 - 819
• Main Authors: Grape, Sophie, Jacobsson Svärd, Staffan, Hellesen, Carl, Jansson, Peter, Åberg Lindell, Matilda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2014; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Accidents; Alternative energy; Applied sciences; Arms limitation; Atomic weapons; Climate; Climate change; Disarmament; Economic data; Electric energy; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Energy resources; Energy sector; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Environment; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; General, economic and professional studies; Generation IV; Global warming; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear accidents & safety; Nuclear energy; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear non-proliferation; Nuclear nonproliferation; Nuclear power; Nuclear power generation; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactor components; Nuclear reactors; Nuclear safeguards; Nuclear weapons; Stockpiles; Studies; Welfare economics; Generation IV; Nuclear energy; Nuclear safeguards; Nuclear non-proliferation; Disarmament
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.06.026

Recently, nuclear power has received support from environmental and climate researchers emphasizing the need to address factors of global importance such as climate change, peace and welfare. Here, we add to previous discussions on meeting future climate goals while securing safe supplies of energy by discussing future nuclear energy systems in the perspective of strengthening nuclear non-proliferation and aiding in the process of reducing stockpiles of nuclear weapons materials. New nuclear energy systems, currently under development within the Generation IV (Gen IV) framework, are being designed to offer passive safety and inherent means to mitigate consequences of nuclear accidents. Here, we describe how these systems may also be used to reduce or even eliminate stockpiles of civil and military plutonium—the former present in waste from today׳s reactors and the latter produced for weapons purposes. It is argued that large-scale implementation of Gen IV systems would impose needs for strong nuclear safeguards. The deployment of Safeguards-by-Design principles in the design and construction phases can avoid draining of IAEA resources by enabling more effective and cost-efficient nuclear safeguards, as compared to the current safeguards implementation, which was enforced decades after the first nuclear power plants started operation. •Generation IV systems are developed for long-term sustainable electricity production.•New perspectives are capabilities to manage nuclear waste from nuclear power and aid disarmament.•Simulations show how a country can launch fast reactors to control and reduce plutonium stocks.•Safeguards-by-Design principles should be deployed, facilitating effective nuclear safeguards.