A Vision and Several Perspectives for Nuclear Fission Technology

The situation of the nuclear technology and nuclear industry is there for all to see. On the one hand, China, India, and Russia, primarily, are continuously building new water-cooled large reactor units, while the remaining industrialized countries are discussing the best future nuclear technologies, reactor sizes, financial investments, and new materials for enhanced safety and improved efficiency. Despite not advocating any technology and being unable to forecast the future, we report on a number of more or less acceptable concerns and reflections derived from an interpretation of the history of fission nuclear technology and from the analysis of the current context.

The conclusion that emerges is that (fission) nuclear technology is entering a black hole, at least in the countries that contributed to its development, and that long-term strategies for the deployment of large reactor units, while in parallel optimizing different new reactor designs, is the needed and pursuable path to avoid falling into the abyss of forgetfulness.