The THTR Circulars from 2008

***

***

THTR Circular No. 120, March 2008

The HTR in Switzerland: Risen from the ruins

There are increasing signs that Switzerland is increasingly relying on high-temperature reactors and is playing a greater role in the development of Generation IV reactors on an international level. It is building on its commitment to this type of reactor in the 70s and 80s.

Lothar Hahn and Britta Nockenberg wrote the following in a lengthy report in 1990:
“Switzerland has its own HTR research program, within the framework of which one has participated in the development of the German pebble bed reactor. The concepts for the HTR-500 and the small heating reactor GHR-10 were created through cooperation between the German nuclear industry (ABB Mannheim or HRB) and IGNT, the Swiss 'interest group for the protection of common interests in the development of nuclear technologies'. Swiss industry also supplied 20% of the components for the THTR-300 that were developed as part of the Swiss HTR research program.
Both Swiss industry (Sulzer, Elektrowatt, ABB Baden etc.) as well as the Federal Institute for Reactor Research (EIR), today Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Since 1973 around 100 million Swiss francs have flowed into HTR research, most recently in 1986 another 27 million for the HTR-500. "(1)

The magazine “Atomwirtschaft” (atw) wrote at the time: “A federal resolution intended for further cooperation between Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany in the development of high-temperature reactors (HTR) to approve a commitment credit limited to the years 1986-1988 of CHF 15 million for Contributions to the research and development work of the Swiss industrial partners in the planning phase of the 'HTR-500 MW' project was approved by the National Council on December 19, 12 with 85:80 votes and forwarded to the Council of States. "(38)

But just a few weeks after the THTR incident in 1986, the world looked a little different in the eyes of the Federal Office of the Swiss Energy Sector. She lamented in the Berner Zeitung: "The victim would be the Swiss industry, which calculates from the federal commitment and its own financial contributions in the development phase in the commercialization of the HTR line Marktchanchen." (3)

But the Swiss nuclear industry also benefited from the THTR incident, thanks to the NRW state government, as the NRW Greens noted: was involved in the planning and development of the German high-temperature reactor line. ”(1973) The nuclear industry“ checked ”itself!

In 1988, shortly before the final THTR shutdown, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote cautiously optimistic: “In Switzerland, a cooperation between the BBC and Sulzer a preliminary project for an HTR cogeneration plant. "(5) But serious technical and financial problems and the resistance against the THTR Hamm thwarted the nuclear friends' plan, which also had an impact on Switzerland:
“The 'HTR-500' project is to be completed at the end of 1992, according to the 'Eidgenössische Verkehrs- und Energiewirtschafts Department EVED' and the Federal Office of Energy, which is subordinate to it. The premature termination of the project, which was decided in agreement with the industry involved, was triggered by the temporary waiver of the continuation of the HTR development in the FRG and the acceptance of the moratorium initiative in Switzerland.

The Swiss industrial partners were granted a loan of CHF 500 million for the research work within the framework of the HTR-15 project carried out in Germany with Swiss participation. A total of CHF 1990 million had been approved by autumn 5,1, of which around half were claimed. With the remaining contractually guaranteed amount of r. The sub-projects will be completed by the end of 2.5 in such a way that the results can be used for nuclear engineering purposes. "(1992)

So the nuclear industry did not give up completely and hoped for better times for it. How strong the industry's affection for the HTR was in Switzerland can be seen from the fact that the Swiss specialist company Colenco steadfastly refused to take on the contract for the dismantling of the THTR in Hamm in 1990, because this reactor was supposedly so "environmentally friendly" and Is "safe from a safety point of view" (7)!

The HTR in the current Swiss discussion
This notion has obviously held up not only with the Swiss nuclear industry, but also with the political decision-makers. In 2002 Switzerland joined the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). Nine countries (USA, France, South Africa, China, Japan ...) had already come together to plan and advance the research and development of new, innovative reactors on an international level in the long term. This is very costly and will last for decades. A completely new generation of nuclear power plants has a lead time of at least 20 to 30 years. First of all, not only do small research reactors have to be built, tested and evaluated, but a large prototype also has to run successfully. All of this costs tens of billions of euros. In this way, the continued existence of the nuclear industry and comprehensive nuclear research programs will be secured in the long term on an international level.

Once such a billion dollar nuclear program has been started, it will be very difficult to stop it again. How long-term the nuclear industry thinks and plans strategically can be seen in their specific considerations: "Generation IV planning anticipates prototypes between 2020 and 2030, depending on the system, and with the start of commercialization between 2030 and 2040. Because of the long planning and construction phases for replacements of the existing power plants, Generation IV is hardly an option for replacement in Gösgen (2038). Such a plant could be considered for Leibstadt (2044). ”(8) Elsewhere, the nuclear scenario becomes a little more concrete:“ For example, a park of 6 - 8 VHTRs with a total output of 2000 MW could be considered. "(9)

On April 14, 4, the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE) announced on its website what the next concrete steps towards Generation IV reactors will look like:
“The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), which provides a high-quality infrastructure for research and development, is already active in nuclear technology research. He is particularly interested in two (out of six) new reactor technologies: the gas-cooled, fast reactor (GFR) and the maximum temperature reactor (VHTR). With Switzerland's accession to the Framework Convention, PSI can actively participate in this research coordinated worldwide by the GIF. In addition, this cutting-edge research can also be used to train future engineers and researchers in the evaluation, construction and operation of these new types of reactors. "

Konstantin Foskolos, Deputy Head of Nuclear Energy and Safety at the Paul Scherrer Institute, was part of the selection committee that set criteria for new reactors within the GIF, assessed design proposals and made specific recommendations for the next few decades (10). You could read what kind of spirit this person is in the magazine “Horizonte”, where when asked how long the radioactive waste was dangerous, he answered in all seriousness: “Only a few hundred years to go. But with this we are entering a historical dimension that can be shaped by humans. Even many medieval cathedrals are older.“(11) - Does only pray now help? - So this man is setting the most important energy policy decisions worldwide for the next few decades within an exclusive committee!

On July 28, 2007, Horst-Michael Prasser, Professor of Nuclear Energy Systems, gave the lecture “The Future of Nuclear Energy” at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur, in which he presented and propagated Generation IV and high-temperature reactors in detail. Very practically in the immediate vicinity of the old Sulzer company, which built parts for the THTR back in the 70s. The “Stadtwerk Winterthur” was also invited to this public event - under the heading “Environment and health protection” of all places. The relationships between politics, science and the nuclear industry can hardly be more intimate.

Sulzer today
After extensive restructuring, Sulzer is now active in mechanical and plant engineering as well as in surface technology. Ten thousand employees at over 120 locations around the world generated 2006 billion Swiss francs in 2,8. But what does that mean for us in concrete terms? Sulzer is split into various subsidiary companies, some of which are still involved in the construction of nuclear facilities: Sulzer Pumps, Metco, Chemtech, Turbo Services, Innotec.

Sulzer Pumbs' 2006 annual report highlighted its involvement in the construction of the French EPR 1600. Likewise the nuclear activities in China, South Africa, USA, India, Russia and Germany. In particular, the first two countries mentioned make us prick up our ears because high-temperature reactors are currently being built there. In the FRG, Sulzer was involved in the construction of the nuclear power station in Grafenrheinfeld.

Sulzer's Metco subdivisions in Switzerland and the USA are involved in the development of special hydrogen and fuel cell systems (12). These high temperature fuel cells SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell), as we pointed out in THTR circular no.107, serve to couple hydrogen energy production with HTR nuclear energy and are funded by the EU in special programs for the development of Generation IV generations. So we have to be vigilant and carefully analyze how Sulzer’s activities are developing.

In the city of Winterthur, the dominant group made headlines for completely different reasons. The large factory halls of Sulzer's heavy industry, which has since disappeared, stood empty for up to 15 years and were to be converted into exclusive, expensive living space for the rich. There was agile resistance to this. The Sulzer skyscraper, at the time the tallest in Switzerland and the city's landmark, was occupied by several hundred people for days in the course of this conflict in February 2004 and caused a sensation all over Switzerland. The squatters were finally able to evade the massive police presence by joining a passing, partly masked carnival parade as they withdrew - this story was really delicious!

Excerpt from a video from the program 'Local Time'
broadcast on WDR3 on December 20.12.2007th, XNUMX

In the control bar at the bottom of the video, the sound can be switched on and off on the right, the video can be stopped or started on the left and the small arrow under the loading bar can be used to "wind" to any desired point within the video.

The state government points out that the THTR has been shut down since 1989. However, incidents occurred even after its shutdown; for example the Tritium water leak in 1992.

Radioactive substances do not just disappear overnight: The PAC beads carried away by the wind could be used as ticking time bombs still be responsible for cancer and leukemia. As is the case in the Elbmarsch. There, in the vicinity of the GKSS (Society for Nuclear Energy Utilization in Shipbuilding and Shipping), where PAC globules were also released, the world's highest rate of child leukemia was found: 17 child leukemia cases in a very sparsely populated area! You employ numerous state parliament committees and expert bodies.

The citizens' initiative for environmental protection in Hamm expects the state government to take the concerns and fears of the population really seriously and to commission investigations which, with the help of an orienting measurement program, can identify possibly released PAC spheres and initiate further in-depth investigations.
Furthermore, we call for a scientific survey and assessment of the cancer risk in the vicinity of the THTR, based on the latest methodological principles.

In the last few weeks, many concerned people have approached the citizens' initiative for environmental protection in Hamm with specific information on cancer and leukemia cases. We will make these available in a suitable form to the NRW state government, the new NRW cancer register, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection and the Federal Environment Minister in the next few weeks.

Concerned citizens are welcome to contact the citizens' initiative for environmental protection on our website with their tips. If necessary, we will forward the suggestions in a suitable form - anonymously if required - to the responsible offices.
So that the NRW state government does not remain as clueless as it is in the latest statement for the environmental committee.

Meanwhile, since 2006, a special working group at the Jülich Research Center, in which the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is involved, has been working on the subject of nuclear power and THTR. However, not with the radioactive contaminated sites and the cancer risk in North Rhine-Westphalia, but with new initiatives to do more research on the HTR line again, bypassing the exit decision! A fait accompli has also been created with the establishment of several new professorships and science posts for THTR research.

In such a situation, the NRW state government does not come in handy to discuss possible cancer cases in the vicinity of their former showpieces. That is why the citizens must ensure that this issue is not swept under the table!

Therefore a rally and vigil will take place on April 26th directly in front of the THTR. We release balloons with attached postcards and discuss what our next steps will be.

Spring Conference of the Anti-Nuclear Movement

The spring conference of the anti-nuclear movement with an action weekend and camp will take place in Ahaus from May 1st to 4th, 2008. A total of eight working groups and numerous lectures and discussions and a music concert are planned. “The anti-nuclear movement should be experienced as an open movement that is simply fun to take part in,” write the inviting initiatives from the Münsterland.
Further information: www.sofa-ms.de

Olympics in front of THTR construction site in China

Although the THTR on the Shandong peninsula in China has been under construction since 2007, very little is heard from the former German colonial area at the moment (see THTR circular no. 105). Only the Tsingtau beer brewed here is worth reporting to the newspapers when hundreds of thousands flock here for the German-Chinese beer festival. And now also this: "Today Qindao is also a bathing and recreation area, which recently made a name for itself with the announcement that it would be the venue for the sailing competitions of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games." (ND of December 8, 12)

Dear readers!
The appeal for donations shortly before Christmas met with a good response. Thank you very much!

***

Top

***

***

Top

***