Vienna, Austria
Let me begin by expressing my strong support for this conference on innovative technologies for nuclear fuel cycles and nuclear power. As you well know, nuclear power is a significant contributor to the global supply of electricity, and continues to be the only source that can provide electricity on a large scale with a comparatively minimal impact on the environment. But it is equally evident that, despite decades of experience with this technology, nuclear power today remains mainly in a holding position, with its future somewhat uncertain.
For a number of years, I have been stressing that the future of nuclear power will depend on a number of factors, including: vigilance in ensuring the continued safety of operations at nuclear facilities; the development and demonstration of clear national and international strategies for the disposal of high level radioactive waste; the ability to compete economically with other energy sources; and successful communication of the benefits of nuclear power to civil society.
But any major future expansion in the use of nuclear power will depend heavily on an additional factor: the innovation in reactor and fuel cycle technology that is the focus of this conference - innovation that successfully maximizes the benefits of nuclear power while minimizing the associated concerns. The nuclear power industry and the nuclear community must demonstrate their ability to adapt, both technologically and in other ways, to the evolving energy needs and concerns of the global marketplace. I would like to share with you a few of my ideas and beliefs about how to make this innovation successful.
First, the scope of our vision for the future of nuclear power must be global. While we often point out that nuclear power currently provides about 16% of global electricity, we note less often that some 83% of nuclear capacity is concentrated in industrialized countries. By contrast, almost 2 billion people in developing countries remain without reliable energy supplies, a major factor in their aspirations for social and economic development. Projections of future energy demand - such as those provided in the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - show enormous energy growth for at least the next 60 years, but clearly concentrate that growth in the developing world.
If nuclear power is to play a major role in meeting this demand for additional energy, it will require innovative approaches - both technological and otherwise - to match the needs of users not only in industrialized but also in developing countries. This will include consideration of grid capacities, infrastructure requirements and other technological aspects, but it will also require foresight in building the necessary social capacities - the scientific and technical skill base, the legal and regulatory frameworks, and the public acceptance - that are necessary to make nuclear power a viable option.
Responsiveness to Concerns and Developments
Secondly, innovation must be responsive to concerns that remain about nuclear power, and should be 'smart' in taking into account new developments and expected future trends. For example, innovation should ensure that new reactor and fuel cycle technologies incorporate inherent safety features, proliferation resistant characteristics, and reduced generation of waste. Consideration should be given to physical protection and other characteristics that will reduce the vulnerability of nuclear facilities and materials to theft, sabotage and terrorist acts.
Awareness of needs other than electricity generation can help to make the nuclear contribution more substantial. In smaller communities, this could include using nuclear technology for the co-generation of electricity and district heating. In the transportation sector, the use of nuclear energy to produce hydrogen could play a strong role in supporting the expanded use of fuel cells. And the nuclear desalination of seawater, if demonstrated as a feasible and economically competitive technology, could help to address the increasing global challenge regarding the availability of freshwater. I would note that two nuclear desalination projects are well underway - the Indian project at Kalpakkam and the Pakistani project at Karachi - as well as a number of international studies for desalination plants in other locations.
Third, I firmly believe that nuclear innovation efforts should be co-operative and collaborative in nature. The most important outcome of this collaboration may be, as I have already suggested, a better understanding of user needs and requirements worldwide. But international collaboration will also make our efforts more efficient and effective, by promoting technical information exchange, sharing safety and non-proliferation insights and leveraging research dollars. Clearly, at some point in the development of a given technology, collaboration must give way to commercial competition; however, even after these new technologies become competitive, collaboration will continue to be beneficial for new designs with enhanced features to reduce costs and improve safety and security.
The IAEA's International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was developed with precisely this objective in mind - to engender the broadest possible international collaboration, to permit the scientific and technological innovation that would ensure that nuclear energy remains a viable option for future generations. INPRO recently completed its work on defining user requirements related to economics, safety, proliferation resistance and the environment, bringing Phase 1A of the project to a close. The INPRO Steering Committee last month approved the Phase 1A report, and made a number of recommendations for moving forward, including the pursuit of case studies that would enable Member States and independent analysts to apply INPRO methodology in specific situations. But the Committee also recommended - as I have been encouraging for some time - that INPRO strengthen its co-operation with other initiatives on innovative nuclear energy systems, including the US-initiated Generation IV project. The results of INPRO's efforts to date will be presented later in this conference, as will the results of Generation IV and other projects. It is my hope that these presentations will make evident more opportunities for collaboration among these projects - collaboration that will be of mutual benefit to all concerned.
Beyond Technological Innovation
Fourth, I would emphasize that our innovation efforts must be more than purely technical. The evaluation of new design aspects by the nuclear industry should be accompanied, throughout the nuclear community, by a re-evaluation of technology policy issues. These issues play a significant role in economic costs, investor confidence and public acceptance of nuclear technology. A high level of confidence must be achieved in the reliability of construction schedules, licensing review procedures, regulatory oversight, liability issues and other factors that affect the cost and efficiency of nuclear facility design, construction, startup, operation and maintenance.
Another non-technological aspect of innovation relates to our approach to societal outreach. Decision makers, public interest groups and the public at large must be engaged in a fair evaluation of the relative merits of different energy options. Improved public understanding of radiation and nuclear issues is essential if we are to create a more mature awareness of the comparative risks and benefits of different energy sources, the impact of each option on sustainable development, and the range of societal benefits provided through nuclear applications. As recent world events have demonstrated, the public must also be given credible assurance that nuclear technology and materials will be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. And innovative approaches will be essential to attract the necessary new generation of talented scientists, engineers and technicians.
Conclusion: Timeliness of the Conference
In my view, this conference comes at a pivotal point in the history of nuclear energy. Progress has been made recently on many fronts related to nuclear power, including waste disposal, licence extension, and safety and security upgrades. Many countries are engaged in innovation projects: in fact, some 20 or 30 innovative designs are currently under development, with all of the principal reactor concepts - water, liquid metal, or gas cooled - as well as accelerator driven systems being addressed in one or more projects. And while most of the current expansion in nuclear energy is taking place in East and South Asia, recent years have witnessed statements and actions in North America, Europe and elsewhere that support a renewed consideration of the merits of nuclear power. On the other hand, many countries continue to either reject or express strong reservations about the nuclear option - primarily due to concerns related to waste, safety and security.
The 21st century promises to deliver the most competitive, globalized markets - and the most rapid pace of technological change - in human history. In the next 50 years, we are also likely to witness the greatest expansion of energy use ever known, particularly in developing countries. For nuclear technology to make a substantial contribution to energy supplies, innovation is essential - innovation that is global in scope, responsive to concerns and collaborative in its approach.
I encourage your enthusiastic participation in this conference as you seek to address many of these issues in the next few days, and I look forward to the results of your discussions.