§ Mr. Masonasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the Dounreay breeder reactor experiment; if a modern version has now been designed; and whether a site for this reactor has yet been chosen.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethIn my Answer to the hon. Member on 28th May, 1962, I referred to certain difficulties encountered in the operation of the reactor experiment. These were overcome, and the reactor resumed operations at 30 mW (Heat) on 26th July, 1962. On 14th October the alternator was connected to the national grid and has been supplying 3 mW of electricity. It is intended, as the next phase of the experiment, to run the reactor at about 30 mW (Heat) for some months in particular to obtain information on fuel element behaviour.
The Authority has now in hand the design and development of a prototype fast power reactor, drawing on the experience at Dounreay. No site for this reactor has yet been chosen.