Nuclear power is a valuable achievement and a great danger to mankind, which, unfortunately, was proved by Fukusima (Japan) tragedy in 2011. Such global events make leading world countries focus on a serious problem: to stop using nuclear energy or to improve the reactors and increase their reliability. In June 2011, a round table meeting called "New Generation Nuclear Reactors" was held at the Ural Research and Development Institute of Man. M. Bychkova, correspondent of the Science of Ural newspaper, deals with some of the discussed topics and ideas in her article.

There are no alternatives to nuclear power in Russia yet, due to the size of our country we cannot rely on other fuel sources, such as wind mills or solar batteries. We cannot follow Germany, which decided to stop using nuclear power: the only thing that would suit us is to find solution to this urgent problem. Academician Valery Chereshnev, chairman of the round table, President of the Ural Research and Development Institute of Man and Head of the Committee for Science and Science-Intensive Technologies of the RF State Duma, put for-

Reactor.

ward the strategy "To Outdistance Without Catching Up" for the development of nuclear power industry.

Solid state nuclear reactors (heat emitting elements containing nuclear fuel) with water as a heat carrier are the most popular today. The relative simplicity of design, low power consumption to pump water and cost efficiency are basic advantages of such units. But in case of emergency they can lead to a tragedy, like at Fukusima; no one can ignore the fact that solid state nuclear reactors have repeatedly shown insufficient internal safety. That is why Sergei Raspopin, Professor of the Department of Physics and Technology of the Ural Federal University, proposed a project of a melted active zone designed by his colleagues for consideration of the participants of the round table.

A distinctive characteristic of a newly-designed unit is a mobile active zone in the form of salt and metal melt, which makes the operation of the nuclear reactor easier and allows the transfer to a closed nuclear fuel cycle. It is of special importance today, since too much water is required to keep the reactors cooled. The new reactor with an active zone does not need water; it is characterized by a high internal safety and automatically stops in case of accidents that reduces the risk of occurrence of critical situations. The fused salt as an active zone has a unique property: current reactions do not change the properties of the melt. Lead as a heat carrier not only takes away the heat but also absorbs many radioactive isotopes reducing activity of the reactor. According to the designers, this reactor is absolutely safe and will likely become a new step in the development of nuclear power engineering of a new generation. Implementation of this project in practice is an expensive thing, but global safety is a top priority. Therefore, Sergei Raspopin and his colleague Askold Beketov, head of the chair for rare metals and nanomaterials, Department of Physics and Technology of the same university, are trying to attract attention to their works and get support of the government.

M. Bychkova, "Scylla and Charybdis of Nuclear Power Industry ", Science of Ural newspaper, No. 16-17, 2011