Opening address

1. It is now almost a quarter of a types which are now claiming our attention century since the first heavy water reactor have very attractive fuel utilization (the CP 3 reactor at Argonne) went critical characteristics and their relatively modest in 1944 and the fact that heavy water uranium ore requirements must be counted moderated reactors have not yet established in their favour, however confident we may a real foothold in the commercial power be about the ultimate success of fast field, with the notable exception of the breeder reactors. Canadian programme, has certainly not been due to lack of interest on the part of 5. In these circumstances there is good designers over the intervening years. It reason to consider the emerging thermal must rather be ascribed to the recognition reactor systems as serious contenders for a of an incentive to concentrate first on share of what will be a large market. systems which could be exploited most Provisional estimates suggest that the CEGB rapidly. The graphite moderated and light alone may well add to its existing system water moderated systems had a much greater another ^0-40,000 MW of thermal reactor initial boost from military programmes, and plant, even allowing for a substantial fast this helped these types of reactor to 'get reactor programme. This being so, we in the off the ground first' and take the lead in United Kingdom are continuing to undertake the power generation field. detailed assessment of alternative thermal