Evening star., 1955-07-10
West Europe Makes Progress
In Use Of Atoms for Peace

chroton, which may return Europe
10 the leadership It had IN nuclear
research before 1910.
To apply the atomic knowledge
they acquire, eight European ma
tions last year organized q Euro
pean Atomic Energy Society.
Members are Belgium, France, Italy.
the Netherlands. Norway, Sweden.
Switzerland and the United King
dom. One of their first decisions
was to avoid building two reactors
of the same kind in this early, ex-
perimental stage of atomic power
development. The eight countries
hold regular international confer
ences, and circulate information on
new developments.
Greet Britoin
Her coal supplies running low,
Britain has ambitious plans to build
IL power reactors in the next 10
years. The first of these, at Calder
Hall, will use the more economical
natural uranium. Other types Of re-
actors are being developed, Of
course, to try to bring the price per
kilowatt down as far as possible.
BY 1865 the British expect to have
a total nuclear power capacity Of 2
million kilowatts. This will amount
to about one quarter of the total
new power requirements, the British
estimate.
(By comparison, the United
States expects to have from to 8
million killowatts Of nuclear power
capacity by 1865. but this will be
much smaller percentage of Amer
ica's total new power plant)
Nowoy-NetherIonds
The Norwegians and Dutch have
a unique pooling arrangement which
has advanced them far beyond what
could have been done individually.
Norway had heavy water plant at
KELLER; the Netherlands had 10 tons
of uranium oxide. They formed q
partnership called the Dutch-Nor-
wegian Joint Establishment for Nu-
clear Energy Research (JENER) I.
This group is now building an ex-
perimental power reactor in the
Netherlands, taking advantage of
its unique arsenal. The reactor will
be a prototype power producer for
both ship propulsion. in which Nor
way is interested, and for central
station power, In which the Dutch
are interested.
Fronce
BY means of three five-year
plans, France now hopes to build
UP a network of nuclear power
plants by 1870. They could play. a
key role in reviving French indus
try.
In the first five years France will
concentrate on producing plutoni-
um and expanding her uranium
output. In the second five years
the French intend to bring nuclear
power prices down to where they
can compete, both in mobile plants
and in central stations. There is
speculation that in the third five
year period, from 1865 to 1910,
France may plan to go into atomic
weapons production.
Two small experimental reactors
are operating in France today. Two
higher-powered reactors are to be
built soon in the Rhone Valley. The
French have important uranium
and thorium reserves at home and
in their overseas territories, SO the
long-range future Of atomic power
seems to be bright.
Sweden
Next to Britain, Sweden is said
to have the best atomic laboratories
in Western Europe. Because she
feels under the gun" of the Soviet
Union, Sweden has placed one Of
her reactors underground. It has
been in operation for year.
Other European Countries
Belgium's main contribution to
atomic progress, of course, has been
her sharing of uranium deposits in
the Belgian Congo. She has A.
000-kw. experimental reactor in op-
, Grafton, and Is building laboratory
to train specialists in construction
and operation of reactors.
Italy decided last year to build
a natural uranium-heavy water re-
actor. The Swiss. Spanish, Portu-
guese, West Germans and Yugo-
slavs also have small experimental
projects under way.
Switzerland, it is reported. will
buy (for $180,000) the swimming
pool" reactor which the United
States is setting UP in Geneva for
the August atomic conference. The
reactor is suspended in a pool
shaped like a well, % feet deep and
10 feet in diameter. The water
serves as radiation shield.
If Congress approves President
Eisenhower's proposal to pay half
the cost Of experimental reactors
for friendly countries. Europe no
doubt will soon sharply increase
her present rate Of expansion In
the nuclear power 1ield.
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