In the US [174], the Avanced Accelerator Applications programme is under way to develop a technology base for transmutation, to demonstrate this as an approach to long-term nuclear materials management, to build an accelerator driven test facility, and to strengthen the domestic nuclear infra­structure. An accelerator driven transmutation facility with a power rating in excess of 20 MWth, driven by a high-power proton linear accelerator with a beam power of approximately 8 MW, is planned to start operation in 2010.

13.2.2 Europe

In Europe, the situation is characterized by a number of projects but an uncertain state of financing. In 1998, some European countries established a Technical Working Group (TWG) which has to identify the technical issues for which an important R&D effort is needed. These experts have recommended to design and operate an experimental ADSR (XADS) at a significant thermal power, so as to come close to what an industrial ADSR dedicated to minor actinide incineration could be. The whole time scale (preliminary design studies, R&D, construction) is approximately 10 or 12 years.

As a pedagogical exercise, it is interesting to describe the various projects related to this programme in some detail. A complete overview of the European approach can be found in reference [134].