2. Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs)
There are several types of slow-neutron reactor technologies. France uses pressurized water reactors (PWRs). This is the most widely used technology worldwide. In 2025, there were ≈ 305 PWRs out of the ≈ 415 slow-neutron reactors in operation and connected to the power grid, representing more than 70%. If reactors on extended shutdown are included, the total number of reactors worldwide reaches approximately 440.
2.1 Simplified Neutron Balance
In a medium containing fissile nuclei, such as a reactor core, a thermal neutron can initiate fission. For 235U, an average of 2.5 neutrons are emitted during each fission event (more precisely, 2.4). Some of these neutrons can induce further fission, while others do not lead to this process because they have escaped the medium, are captured...
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Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs)
Fast Neutron Reactors (FNR)
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