Conclusions and outlook

Hybrid systems currently appear to be too complex and unreliable (mainly due to the need to couple them to a machine such as a gas pedal) for operators to consider them as a replacement for current reactors for mass energy production. Nonetheless, these systems would appear to have their place when it comes to dealing with the problem of nuclear waste, particularly when it comes to reducing the quantities of minor actinides and their radiotoxicity (by a factor of 10 to 100), for which their sub-criticality is a major advantage. For France's current fleet of some 60 reactors, a few hybrid units (1 to 3) would be more than sufficient to incinerate AM production.

Although the hybrid reactor has moved away from the original concepts proposed by C. Rubbia and C. Bowman, it remains the subject of active research within the international scientific community. Bowman, it...