Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review
    Vol. 61 No. 4 (2024)   Nuclear Energy
    Technical Papers

    Power Maneuvering Method to Enhance Compatibility with Renewables and Core Design to Improve Pu Utilization for Advanced Light Water Reactor SRZ®-1200

    KENTA SHIMIZU
    MASAYUKI KAUCHI
    SHOHEI OTSUKI
    KOSUKE HIRAMATSU

    In the construction of a new nuclear power plant, the first requirement is to improve safety and reliability than existing plants. In addition, new operational needs have arisen, including the capability to flexibly adjust output power according to fluctuations in the generation of energy from renewable power sources, and enhanced ability to contribute to the nuclear fuel cycle and energy security. Given these conditions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is seeking to achieve more flexible output power adjustment for the new light-water reactor model SRZ-1200 currently under development compared to previous models and is developing technologies that can increase the use of plutonium. While safety is the non-negotiable first priority, development of a nuclear power plant with enhanced operability is another way that contributes to increased public acceptance of the construction of a new plant and the continued use of nuclear energy.