INPRO: Moving Into A Third Decade Of Innovation Relevant To Nuclear Materials Handling

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) in 2000 for creating sustainable nuclear energy for the energy needs of the 21st century. Now INPRO is entering its third decade of existence with the goal of adapting its mission to future nuclear industry and global outlooks on environment, energy, and technical progress. The primary objective of INPRO is to support Member States in their long-term planning for deploying sustainable nuclear energy systems. The project provides direct support related to advanced and innovative nuclear energy system (NES) scenario modelling, analysis and sustainability assessment applying the INPRO methodology. INPRO assists its members in decision-making and capacity building on innovations and long-range planning for NES in view of the decades long commitments and obligations involved. INPRO services and collaborative projects are contributing to Member States’ long-term planning for deploying sustainable nuclear energy. The INPRO global scenarios task provides scenario modelling, economic analysis and road mapping through various INPRO tools available for use by IAEA Member States. These have been validated on various cases already that include large reactors deployed in typical electric grids. INPRO now will be working to take these tools and provide them for analysis with the deployment of SMRs in the grid including analyzing SMRs in hybrid energy systems, co-generation, and non-electric power uses such as process heat to produce hydrogen. INPRO also sponsors Dialogue Forums for experts to share ideas on developing sustainable nuclear power and is building educational networks and opportunities with governments and universities around the world to bring INPRO tools into the hands of nuclear technology holders and nuclear power and technology users in emerging nuclear power lands. INPRO is finishing revising its evaluation INPRO Methodology accounting for experience in the first two decades of INPRO. Hence, INPRO’s initiatives in proliferation resistance, transportable nuclear power plants, fuel cycle assessment, backend of the fuel cycle for advanced reactors, and involvement with Safeguards by Design and the GIF Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection Working Group show INPRO work is a cross-cutting nuclear material management effort.