Recent progress and status of Monju

Kondo, Satoru; Deshimaru, Takehide; Konomura, Mamoru

Monju, a 280-MWe prototype sodium-cooled fast reactor of, restarted its test operation in 2010. The zero-power tests were successfully conducted. It's major achievement was accurate prediction of reactor physics parameters with a core including americium-rich fuel. The reactor, however, has been put into a stand-by mode again since the 3.11 Fukushima-Daiichi accident. The roles shall not change: demonstrating stable power generation and actinide burning; providing technology and knowledge base for future SFRs; and using the plant as an international research facility.