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AVR Reactor nuclear power plant

Retired Germany
Gross capacity
15MW

AVR Reactor nuclear power plant is a high-temperature gas reactor unit at AVR Reactor nuclear power plant in Germany rated at 15 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 19 May 1969.

Specification
Reactor type High-temperature gas reactor (HTGR)
ModelPebble bed reactor prototype
Size classLarge
CoolantHelium
ModeratorGraphite
Gross capacity15MW
Net capacity (reference)13MW
Net capacity (design)13MW
Thermal output46MWt
Typical enrichment8–20% U-235, frequently HALEU
Ownership & location
SiteAVR Reactor nuclear power plant
Unitnot stated
CountryGermany
OwnerArbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor GmbH100%
OperatorArbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor
Coordinates 50.9026, 6.4208
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
TRISO-coated particle fuel in pebbles or compacts
Enrichment
8–20% U-235, frequently HALEU HALEU dependency
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

Enriched fuel means this unit sits downstream of five conversion plants and four enrichment operators holding 88% of world capacity between the top three.

RosatomUrencoCNNCOrano

This design needs HALEU — enrichment above 5%. Western production is currently measured in hundreds of kilograms a year.

Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Aug 1961Construction start
  2. 16 Aug 1966First criticality
  3. 17 Dec 1967Grid connection
  4. 19 May 1969Commercial operation
  5. 31 Dec 1988Permanent shutdown

Sources