A prototype of a Danish nuclear reactor is to be tested in Switzerland in two years. Critics warn of safety risks, while developers highlight new technology as particularly safe. This is reported by the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
“Although small research reactors generally have a lower risk potential than traditional nuclear power plants, operation is still experimental and therefore requires special attention because there is a lack of experience,” says Nils Epprecht, director of the Swiss Energiestiftung, an environmental organization working for a sustainable energy policy in Switzerland.
The prototype has been developed by the Danish company Copenhagen Atomics and will be tested in collaboration with the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). The reactor cannot be tested in Denmark, as Danish law prohibits operating nuclear reactors for research purposes.
“We must demonstrate that even during the worst-case accidents there is no risk of radioactive contamination beyond the natural radiation background,” explains Andreas Pautz, head of the Nuclear Technology Center at PSI.
The reactor uses a new technology in which the fissile material is dissolved in molten salt. According to the developers, this means that many of the accident scenarios that can occur in traditional nuclear power plants are not possible. However, critics emphasize that a lack of experience with the technology makes the plant particularly vulnerable.
Swiss politician Reto Nause from the Christian Democratic party Die Mitte is among the critics and has demanded answers about the reactor’s safety and the construction measures. He is skeptical that the safety procedures differ from those for traditional nuclear power plants.
– The lack of standardized procedures can lead to arbitrary decisions, he says, referring to recommendations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Copenhagen Atomics plans to mass-produce the reactors from 2030 for global export.
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