MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti) – Russian nuclear experts are currently testing a new nuclear fuel, which could become a gateway to new-generation nuclear power technologies, Evgeny Adamov, scientific leader at the NIKIET government research institute said Tuesday.
"The first kilogram [about 2 pounds] of dense fuel has been processed using a pyrochemical method," Adamov said, speaking at the "Innovative Projects And Nuclear Energy Technology" international conference.
"We look forward to the results [of the experiment]," Adamov added, noting that140 fuel rods with dense fuel will be tested next.
The new nuclear fuel is being developed within the framework of a major innovative project, "Proryv" or "Breakthrough" launched by Russia's state-run nuclear corporation Rosatom at the Siberian Chemical Combine site in Seversk, in Russia's Tomsk Region.
The project involves the construction of a pilot energy complex, complete with the Brest-300 experimental lead-cooled nuclear reactor and a near-station manufacturing facility for dense nitride uranium-plutonium fuel.
Rosatom plans to put the BREST-300 reactor into operation by 2020.
