Program ID: Innovation Anthology #122
Program Date: 04/03/2008
Program Category: Energy
Generation 4 Nuclear Technology
It’s been many years since any nuclear power plants have been built in North America.
But proponents of using nuclear energy to provide power for oil sands production are pinning their hopes on a new generation of nuclear technology, Generation 4.
Dr. Bill Rogers is with the Idaho National Laboratory, an American agency which specializes in nuclear research. Dr. Rogers describes Generation 4.
DR. BILL ROGERS: These will modular systems. They won't be water cooled, they'll be gas cooled. They'll operate at very high temperatures. They have a fuel that never comes in contact with the coolant. They're inherently safe. They're built underground. And if you have the worst possible accident scenario, which is you lose all of your coolant and the temperature starts to rise, these systems you just walk away from them and they heal themselves. And you can go back in and turn them on once you've fixed the leak or whatever the problem is.
Dr. Bill Rogers’ team at the Idaho National Laboratory will be helping scientists at the Alberta Research Council evaluate the possible use of 4th generation nuclear power in Alberta.
Thanks today to the Alberta Research Council.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Images
Dr. Bill Rogers
