Over 200 specialists from the whole world discuss high temperature reactors in Warsaw

The cyclical world conference on high-temperature reactors HTR 2018 is happening in Warsaw. Thie year's ninth edition is organized by National Centre for Nuclear Research. Scientists, practicians and decision-makers from five continents are discussing, among other things, the perspectives of quick implementation of HTR technology in countries with advanced chemical industry, such as Poland.

Reactors cooled with high-temperature gas are considered one of the best options among different reactor types thanks to their unique construction that prevents reactor meltdown and their technologic maturity. HTR Conference aims at exchange of information on research and development in HTR technology and advance its wider application in production of industrial heat. The themes discussed at the meeting include current construction of HTR reactors in China, reactors proposed for Canadian mines, results of European, Japanese and American programmes, British plans for small reactors, as well as ambitious plans of Poland in this field. The participants include experts from the research and industry sector, as well as decision makers.

„Talking about energy, we usually mean electric energy. But in reality we use much more energy in the form of heat, especially in chemical and heavy industry. HTR technology can offer clean, environmentally friendly and safe solution for the increasing demand” – says Professor Grzegorz Wroncha, conference chairman. – „Technology has been designed for many years and successfully tested in a few countries. It is time to widely invite it as an important part of overall power bucket.”

HTR 2018 Conference is the ninth international meeting on topics related to the technology of high temperature reactors. The meetings were inaugurated by European High Temperature Reactor Technology Network HTR-TN in Petten in the Netherlands. Next meetings were held in China (Beijing, 2004), Republic of South Africa (Johannesburg, 2006), USA (Washington DC, 2008), Czech Republic (Prague, 2010), Japan (Tokyo, 2012), China (Weihai, 2014) and USA (Las Vegas, 2016).

Poland was chosen to organise the HTR 2018 Conference because of our interest in this technology. Implementing the HTR is among government priorities in document „Responsible Development Strategy”. Not long ago, the Polish Ministry of Energy published a report on possibilities of application of HTR technology (https://www.gov.pl/energia/wysokotemperaturowe-reaktory-jadrowe-chlodzone-gazem-htgr). The conference is organized by National Centre for Nuclear Research.

Over 200 participants confirmed taking part in the conference – experts, scientists and practicians from every continent. The conference was under patronage from: Minister of energy, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Polish Committee of World Energy Council, European Nuclear Cogeneration Industrial Initiative.

The conference, which was held in Novotel Centrum hotel, was opened by Deputy Minister of Energy Tomasz Dąbrowski. The speakers on the first day included, but were not limited to: Deputy Minister of Environment Michał Kurtyka, Director of Department of Nuclear Energy of Ministry of Energy Józef Sobolewski, Director General of Nuclear Energy Agency OECD William Magwood, White House Advisor on nuclear energy Michael Goff, as well as Rob Arnold (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Naoyuki Ueda (Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology). Thematic sessions in eight workspaces also begun, which will be held during the next two days, until 10th October.