Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Following the successful webinar on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies held on March 22, 2024, Nuclear Energy Commission (NEC) of Mongolia jointly with the National University of Mongolia (NUM)-Nuclear Research Center has organized a comprehensive two-day workshop on November 18-19, 2024. This workshop, titled “Utilization and General Issues of Small Modular Reactors (SMR),” aims to delve deeper into the practical and theoretical aspects of SMR technology and its potential applications in Mongolia.
Workshop Highlights
Day 1:
- Opening Remarks:The workshop began with opening remarks by Vladimir Artisyuk from the IAEA, emphasizing the importance of SMRs in the future of nuclear energy.
- Support for Nuclear Energy in Mongolia: Chadraabal Head of Nuclear Technology Department Executive Office, NEC discussed the challenges and opportunities for nuclear energy in Mongolia.
- Nuclear Education System:Representatives from the Nuclear Physics Research Center at NUM presented on Mongolia’s nuclear education system.
- Global Nuclear Energy Status:Vladimir Artisyuk provided an overview of the current status of global nuclear energy and the role of SMRs.
- SMR Technology:Detailed sessions on SMR technology were conducted, highlighting the latest advancements and innovations.
Day 2:
- Economic Analysis:Fedor Veselov, an international expert, presented on the economics of nuclear power plants, comparing high-capacity reactors and SMRs.
- IAEA Support:Discussions on the IAEA’s support for member states in nuclear energy operations were led by Vladimir Artisyuk.
- Research on SMR Core Design: Odmaa from NUM’s School of Engineering and Technology presented ongoing research on the core design of small capacity reactors in Mongolia.
- Safety and Infrastructure:Sessions covered safety issues of SMRs, nuclear infrastructure requirements, and the IAEA’s role in ensuring safe operations.
- Virtual presentations from several IAEA Sections on nuclear infrastructure (Seth Debrah), safety issues (Vincenzo Tiberi), Security issues (Alvaro Acevedo Zapata) and INPRO (Carolynn Scherer)
The workshop concluded with a summary of the discussions and closing remarks by M. Chadraabal and V. Artisyuk. This event marks a significant step forward in Mongolia’s exploration of nuclear energy solutions, showcasing the collaborative efforts between NEC, NUM-NRC and the IAEA to advance SMR technology and its applications.
These events underscore Mongolia’s commitment to exploring sustainable and reliable energy sources, aligning with international standards and contributing to global efforts in reducing carbon emissions.
