12 Jul (NucNet): The Generation III Atmea1 nuclear reactor unit developed jointly by Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has passed the first stage of the pre-certification process carried out by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Areva said this has “validated the objectives and global safety options of the reactor” by comparing them with the regulatory requirements for the construction of new nuclear plants.
The second and third stages of the pre-certification process will consist of an in-depth analysis of the reactor design.
Areva said the Atemea1 technology has advanced safety and security systems such as resistance to aircraft crashes and earthquakes, the latest-generation instrumentation and control, a core catcher and three independent safety trains. These features meet the most recent international rules and recommendations, including post-Fukushima-Daiichi requirements.
In 2012, France’s nuclear safety authority ASN (Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire) confirmed that the Atmea1 reactor met the defined safety criteria for this generation of reactors.
The Atmea1 reactor has been chosen for the Sinop site in Turkey and pre-selected in Jordan, Brazil and Argentina, Areva said.
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To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Dalton at david.dalton@nucnet.org
