China Experimental Fast Reactor

{{Short description|Nuclear reactor in China}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = China Experimental Fast Reactor

| image = CEFR (04790005).jpg

| image_caption = CEFR under construction on June 4, 2004

| country = People's Republic of China

| coordinates = {{coord|39|44|27|N|116|01|49|E|type:landmark_region:CN|display=inline,title}}

| owner = China Institute of Atomic Energy

| construction_began =

| commissioned = October 31, 2012.

| decommissioned =

| np_reactor_supplier =

| np_reactor_type = Fast-neutron reactor

| ps_units_operational = 65 MW (thermal), 20 MW (electric)

| ps_units_decommissioned =

| ps_units_uc =

| ps_units_planned =

| ps_annual_generation =

| status = O

| cost =

| website =

}}

The China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) is China's first fast nuclear reactor, and is located outside Beijing at the China Institute of Atomic Energy.

It aims to provide China with fast-reactor design, construction, and operational experience, and will be a key facility for testing and researching components and materials to be used in subsequent fast reactors.

The reactor achieved first criticality on July 21, 2010{{cite web | url= http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?sectionCode=132&storyCode=2056921 | title= Criticality for China's first fast reactor | date= July 2010 | publisher= Nuclear Engineering International | access-date= 2010-07-23 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110613091020/http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?sectionCode=132&storyCode=2056921 | archive-date= 2011-06-13 | url-status= dead }}

and started generating power a year later on July 21, 2011.{{cite web | url= http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-07/21/c_131000739.htm | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230329/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-07/21/c_131000739.htm | url-status= dead | archive-date= November 7, 2012 | title= China's experimental fast neutron reactor begins generating power |date=July 2011 | publisher = xinhuanet | access-date = 2011-07-21 }}

In October 2012 Xinhua announced that the CEFR has passed official checks.{{cite web | url= http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2012-10/31/c_131942867.htm | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141221201342/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2012-10/31/c_131942867.htm | url-status= dead | archive-date= December 21, 2014 | title= China makes nuclear power development | date=31 October 2012 |publisher=Xinhua | access-date= 2012-10-31 }}

The CEFR was brought to full power at 5.00pm on 15 December 2014 and operated at this level continuously for three full days.{{cite web | url= http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Chinese-fast-reactor-completes-full-power-test-run-1912144.html | title= Chinese fast reactor completes full-power test run |date=December 2014 | publisher = world nuclear news | access-date = 2015-01-19 }}

CEFR is a 65 MW thermal, 20 MW electric, sodium-cooled, pool-type reactor with a 30-year design lifetime and a target burnup of 100 MWd/kg.{{cite web | url= http://www.nti.org/db/china/fbrprog.htm | title= China's Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) Program | date= February 2004 | publisher= Nuclear Threat Initiative | access-date= 2010-07-23 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080208125200/http://www.nti.org/db/china/fbrprog.htm | archive-date= 2008-02-08 | url-status= dead }}

The CEFR was built by Russia's OKBM Afrikantov in collaboration with OKB Gidropress, NIKIET and Kurchatov Institute.{{cite web | url= http://www.neimagazine.com/news/newschina-begins-construction-of-cfr-600-fast-reactor-6018483 | title= China begins construction of CFR-600 fast reactor | date= 4 January 2018 |publisher=Nuclear Engineering International | access-date= 2018-07-11 }}

The CEFR project was approved by the Chinese State Council in 1992, with final approval given in 1995.

The China Experimental Fast Reactor is one of the major energy projects under 863 Program, the national high-tech research and development program. The China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) is the organizer of the project's construction.

Japan's Atomic Energy Agency (AEA) reported that the reactor stopped generating electricity in October 2011 following an accident; however, the director of the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) denied that any accident had occurred.{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9044537/China-denies-nuclear-accident.html | title= China denies nuclear accident |date=January 2012 | publisher = Telegraph Media Group | access-date = 2012-03-31 | last1= Eimer | first1= David }}