STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF THE HTR-500 BASED ON THE THTR-300 OPERATION EXPERIENCE AND RECENT R-AND-D-WORK

In view of the forecast indicating lower growth rates for the consumption of electricity, the HTR 500 nuclear power station offers the advantage of electricity generating costs comparable with modern 1300 MWe light-water reactors, requiring at the same time lower initial investment costs. In the middle of 1988 a contract was signed between a group of German and Swiss utilities and Asea Brown Boveri for preparation of a Safety Analysis Report; it was completed in March 1989. The design of the HTR 500 makes considerable use of the technology applied in the THTR 300. The simplifications and optimizations reflected in the HTR 500 design are based on practical experience with the THTR 300 and will be verified by a R&D-program.