Present status and future plan of JMTR project

Kawamura, Hiroshi; Niimi, Motoji; Ishihara, Masahiro ; Miyazawa, Masataka; Hori, Naohiko ; Nagao, Yoshiharu  

The Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is a light water cooling tank typed reactor with first criticality in March 1968. The JMTR has been applied to fuel/material irradiation examinations for LWRs, HTGR, fusion reactor and RI production. Owing to the connection between the JMTR and hot laboratory by a canal, easy re-irradiation tests can conduct with safety and quick transportation of irradiated samples. The JMTR operation was stopped in August 2006 in order to conduct its refurbishment. The reactor facilities will be refurbished during four years from the beginning of FY 2007, and necessary examination and work are carrying out on schedule. The renewed JMTR will be started from FY 2011, and be operated for a period of about 20 years (until around FY 2030). The usability improvement of the JMTR, e.g. higher reactor available factor, shortening turnaround time to get irradiation results, attractive irradiation cost, business confidence, is also discussing as the preparations for re-operation.