Assessment report on research and development activities in FY2016; Activity "Research and development on high temperature gas-cooled reactor and related heat application technology" (Interim report)

Tatematsu, Kenji; Nishihara, Tetsuo 

President of Japan Atomic Energy Agency consulted with the "Evaluation Committee of Research Activities for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor and Related Hydrogen Production Technology" (hereinafter referred to as "Evaluation Committee"), which consists of specialists in the fields of the evaluation subjects of high temperature gas-cooled reactor and related heat application technology, about the relevance of the management and research activities of the HTGR Hydrogen and Heat Application Research Center during the period from April 2015 to March 2017. The assessment of the Evaluation Committee concluded with a score of B for the confirmation of adjustability to the new regulation standard for restarting HTTR and for the development of hydrogen production technology, a score of A for the design of HTTR-GT/H test plant completing all equipment design specification and for the development exceeding the original scope of an oxidation resistant fuel element containing SiC. The Evaluation Committee concluded with a score of A for the overall activity. In addition, the Evaluation Committee recommended that the judgement to move to the construction phase of the HTTR-GT/H test plant be made after 3-4 years, after the HTTR will be restarted and the thermal load fluctuation tests using HTTR will be carried out. This report lists the members of the Evaluation Committee and outlines the method and procedure of the assessment. The assessment report by the Evaluation Committee is attached.