2017 GIF Annual Report

The 2017 Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Annual Report highlights a year of significant progress and international engagement in the development of Generation IV (Gen-IV) reactor systems. Despite the challenges faced by the nuclear industry, including safety concerns post-Fukushima, cost, and regulatory uncertainties, GIF continued to advance its collaborative R&D projects and hosted several key international events.

The international workshop on "Advanced Reactor Systems and Future Energy Market Needs," organised by the NEA in April 2017, provided a platform to address the private sector's expectations and the new drivers and challenges in developing innovative reactor designs. It underscored the importance of nuclear energy in combating climate change and the need for innovation in institutional, organisational, and technological domains to make nuclear energy more sustainable, proliferation-resistant, and cost-effective while maintaining high safety standards.

Institutional innovation focused on sharing international safety standards to achieve stable and unified licensing processes. GIF made significant strides with the Safety Design Criteria (SDC) and Guidelines (SDG) for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), gaining attention at the FR-17 conference in Russia. This effort aims to extend to other Gen-IV systems, supported by deliverables like the Integrated Safety Assessment Methodology (ISAM) and safety assessment white papers.

Organisational innovation was highlighted by the interest of private capital in advanced reactors, including SMRs and Gen-IV systems. GIF launched a task force to enhance education and training, organising 12 webinars in 2017 with high attendance. The Vice-chair mission on new market opportunities showed progress, emphasising Gen-IV systems' role in providing dispatchable energy and reducing CO2 emissions through fossil fuel substitution.

Technological innovation and international cooperation were vital in 2017. Promising technologies such as modular construction, advanced concrete solutions, innovative fuels and materials, and 3D printing gained traction. The GIF Policy Group initiated a feasibility study on a new cross-cutting activity for advanced manufacturing and materials engineering, recognising the impact of these technologies on R&D.

High-performance computing and improved modelling capabilities opened new avenues in reactor physics and nuclear engineering, highlighting the need for proper R&D infrastructures. A new task force on R&D infrastructures was launched to identify key facilities, address potential gaps, and enable international access.

GIF's systems and methodological working groups made significant contributions, paving the way for major deliverables in 2018, including the update of the 2009 R&D outlook and the preparation for the 4th GIF Symposium in Paris. The report encapsulates GIF's efforts to advance Gen-IV reactor technologies, ensuring their integration into future clean energy systems and addressing global energy challenges.