Once they start operating…

摘要

The special section in this issue includes descriptions of an abundance of advanced reactor models that are several years away from producing usable energy. The regular news sections in this issue include a few items on reactor models that are not quite as advanced beyond the current generation, but are under construction and are expected to deliver usable energy in a few years. Here's a question that can be asked about all of those models: When they start generating, will they have the opportunity to move steadily up the learning curve, perhaps enduring not-so-good years before getting through to good ones? The reactors now in operation can be thought of as survivors of long-running shakeout periods, and it may be easy to forget that some reactors never became strong performers, and were closed with years left on their licenses.