The Future of CANDU: Vision and Realities

Abstract

Present CANDU reactors are reliable, efficient, competitive power producers. Much has been learned about various aspects of CANDU reactors: the lifetime of their components, their management demands, and their operating characteristics and margins. On reflection, we may identify three major forces from the CANDU reactor's past and three major factors that influence the future. Thus the design continuously and successfully evolves to meet the challenges presented by an ever-changing world energy market in respect to: 1. Technical Innovation; 2. Competitive Investment; 3. External Forces. We may also identify ten essential goals for the future evolution. By meeting these design goals, CANDU technology can effectively eliminate competition, and lower costs, construction times and fiscal risks, and ensure that social and environmental acceptability is high. CANDU reactor technology thus contributes to a sustainable energy future with reduced resource use and to stable energy and end use markets. Currently, nuclear energy is projected to be reduced in the United States, Canada and Europe, and increased in Asia and the Pacific-Rim countries, as well as other economically growing countries. Consequently, environmental emissions are projected to increase, despite Herculean efforts to adopt alternate energy strategies without damaging the national or global economies or energy-intensive industries. CANDU reactors have a vital role in the potential for energy supply in these regions through their unique product line. CANDU reactors also have a long-term commitment to technical innovation, combined with evolutionary and competitive design enhancements.