IAEA Director General Sees Evolving Role for Nuclear Energy to Create More Drinking Water

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Dr. Hans Blix, said that he was convinced nuclear energy will come to be increasingly used in the future to desalinate water for drinking.

Speaking at the opening of a Symposium on the subject in Taejon, Republic of Korea, on May 26, Dr. Blix said economic development and population growth, coupled with pollution, were stretching supplies of drinking water to the limit in many parts of the world. Hence governments were seeking realistic, mature technology options for desalinating seawater in order to boost supplies.

Some of the reasons for tapping nuclear energy to produce electricity in the past could be equally valid for desalination in the future: for example, economic viability, diversification of energy sources, technology development potential and environmental protection.

Prompted by interest expressed by several of its Member States, and taking account of experience gained in recent years, the IAEA had re-assessed this issue starting in 1989. The technology was similar to that for district heating and industrial processes which had shown its worth: nuclear heat application and power cogeneration systems had been in service for over 20 years in a dozen countries without any serious problems, accumulating some 500 reactor-years of operating experience.

Desalination facilities attached to nuclear power plants in Japan and Kazakstan had been producing desalted water for years, and a variety of national or bilateral projects being planned would contribute to further experience. Such projects might lead to broader commercial deployment, which could in turn contribute to solving drinking water supply problems in the next century. Such projects included activities in the People's Republic of China, India, the Republic of Korea, Morocco and the Russian Federation. Together with studies and R & D conducted elsewhere, they could contribute to a demonstration programme which could form the basis for international co-operation and support.

The Director General concluded by expressing the hope that the Symposium would serve to highlight how nuclear energy could have an important role to play when governments have to confront the question of producing drinking water supplies through desalination.