First nuclear fusion reactor by 2080

First nuclear fusion reactor by 2080

Belgium should be using a nuclear fusion reactor to produce electricity between 2080 and 2090, announced the deputy director of the Study Center for Nuclear Energy in Mol, Vincent Massaut during a conference at the University of Hasselt on Tuesday. "In the meantime, we must take all possible technological solutions into consideration in light of current and future challenges in energy supply," said Massaut. Nuclear fusion reactor technology should make nuclear energy production safe, cheap and sustainable. "When we have sorted out the technical and scientific issues we are currently facing, we can expect a first reactor of this type to be built between 2080 and 2090," Massaut said. "If we can build a test fusion reactor by 2040, we will have to wait another forty years to get the green light to operate it."

The deputy director of the Mol Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies also, however, put the positive aspects of nuclear fusion reactors into perspective by adding, "Many types of nuclear waste will be produced by nuclear fusion,  although instead of remaining radioactive for 10,000 years as is the case currently, waste resulting form this new technology will remain radioactive for only 300 years.

(Source: Belga)


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