Dr. Yoon Chang joined Argonne National Laboratory in 1974 and has been responsible for leadership of advanced reactor design and fuel cycle technology development activities in positions of increasing responsibility including: General Manager of the Integral Fast Reactor Program, 1984-94; Associate Laboratory Director for Engineering Research, 1998-02; Interim Laboratory Director, 1999-00; Associate Laboratory Director at Large, 2002-06; and Argonne Distinguished Fellow, 2006-08. He retired in November 2008. Currently he also serves as the Chair of IAEA’s Technical Working Group on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options and Spent Fuel Management.

Dr. Chang’s most significant achievement is in the development of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept. In recognition of his technical analyses, decisions and leadership of all aspects of the IFR program, he was awarded the U.S. Department of Energy’s prestigious E.O. Lawrence Award. He is a Fellow and a recipient of the Walker Cisler Medal of American Nuclear Society.

Current Construction

Current Fast Reactor Construction Projects

Russia resumed the construction of BN-800, primarily driven by the weapons Pu disposition application. India is constructing a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), to be on-line in 2010. Subsequently four more units of the same size are planned in two sites by 2020.

China is constructing 65 MWth/20 MWe China Experimental Fast Reactor, to be on-line in 2009. Follow-on 800 MWe prototype FBR planned ~2020. Both China and India envision rapidly growing demand for nuclear and consider fast breeder reactors to be essential part of their future energy mix.

There is a growing international consensus that these five criteria are what the next-generation advanced nuclear system must meet to be broadly acceptable for the 21st
century and beyond, namely:
* Reduce the volume and toxicity of nuclear waste.
* Keep nuclear materials unsuitable for direct use in weapons.
* Be passively safe based on characteristics inherent in the reactor design and materials.
* Provide a long-term energy source not limited by resources.
* Be economically competitive with other electricity sources.

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