Philippine Research Reactor-1

The Philippine Research Reactor-1 (PRR-1) is a research reactor that is owned and maintained by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) in Quezon City, Philippines. The PRR-1 is the first nuclear reactor and the only operating nuclear facility in the Philippines. The PRR-1 initially operated as a critical reactor from 1963 to 1988 and the facility became dormant for 34 years. A new subcritical reactor, the Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research (SATER), was setup within the facility which was first loaded with nuclear rods in June 2022.

Philippine Research Reactor-1
Operating InstitutionPhilippine Nuclear Research Institute
LocationUniversity of the Philippines - Diliman, Quezon City
Coordinates14°39′37″N 121°3′21″E
TypeResearch reactor
Power0 MW
(3 MW; old reactor)
First CriticalityN.A (current subcritical reactor)
August 26, 1963 (old reactor)
Shutdown date1988[lower-alpha 1]

History
The fuel being lowered into the core of the SATER reactor, 2022

The Philippine Research Reactor-1 was built under the Atoms for Peace nuclear research exchange program of the United States.[1] The reactor which had its first criticality on August 26, 1963,[2] was built by U.S. firm General Atomics and was originally a 1 MW MTR-type open pool general-purpose reactor.[1] It was successfully operated from 1964 to 1984 and was utilized for training and research in nuclear science as well as for isotope production.

In 1984, the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC; then name of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) decided to convert and upgrade the reactor into a 3 MW TRIGA Mark III reactor. The converted reactor achieved criticality in April 1988.[2] The converted PRR-1 TRIGA reactor used low-enriched uranium instead of highly enriched uranium. After its conversion, technical and administrative problems rendered the facility inoperable, which resulted in its extended shutdown. In 2005, it was initially decided that the reactor would be decommissioned.[1]

The PNRI with the help of the International Atomic Energy Agency setup a new subcritical reactor with zero-power configuration, the Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research (SATER) facility.[3][4][5][6] The SATER project was conceptualized in 2014, but actual work on it only began in 2017.[6] After 34 years of the PRR-1 being left unused, the commissioning process of the SATER began when it was loaded with 44 nuclear rods on June 20, 2022. SATER is meant as a training reactor for research reactor operators, regulators and users. The SATER is expected to be fully operational by 2023.[5][7]

Notes
  1. Shutdown date of the TRIGA Mark III critical reactor. A subcritical reactor became operational in its place in 2022.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Philippine Research Reactor-1.

References
  1. Santoro, David (July 2013). "ASEAN's Nuclear Landscape – Part 1" (PDF). Issues & Insights. Center for Strategic & International Studies. 13 (10): 1–6. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  2. "Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Conduct of Feasibility Study (F/S) for the Establishment of a Nucleart Reactor" (PDF). National Economic and Development Authority. pp. 1–2. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  3. Asuncion-Astronomo, Alvie; Olivares, Ryan; Romallosa, K; Marquez, J (November 29, 2019). "Utilizing the Philippine Research Reactor-1 TRIGA Fuel in a Subcritical Assembly". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "Header Information - RRDB - IAEA". nucleus.iaea.org. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  5. Liou, Joanne (August 24, 2022). "After 34-Year Gap, the Philippines has a Nuclear Facility Again". International Atomic Energy Agency. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  6. "PH nuclear agency reopens nuclear reactor training facility". Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. June 20, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  7. Nazario, Dhel (June 21, 2022). "DOST-PNRI starts commissioning of PRR-1 SATER, PH's sole nuclear reactor training facility". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
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