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KNK II nuclear power plant

Retired Germany
Gross capacity
21MW

KNK II nuclear power plant is a fast reactor unit at KNK II nuclear power plant in Germany rated at 21 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 3 Mar 1979.

Specification
Reactor type Fast reactor (FBR)
ModelPrototype
Size classLarge
CoolantLiquid sodium or lead
ModeratorNone
Gross capacity21MW
Net capacity (reference)17MW
Net capacity (design)18MW
Thermal output58MWt
Typical enrichment15–20% fissile, or plutonium
Ownership & location
SiteKNK II nuclear power plant
Unitnot stated
CountryGermany
OwnerKarlsruhe Institute For Technology100%
OperatorKernkraftwerk-Betriebsgesellschaft
Coordinates 49.0967, 8.4398approximate
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Mixed oxide or metallic fuel
Enrichment
15–20% fissile, or plutonium
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

Enriched fuel means this unit sits downstream of five conversion plants and four enrichment operators holding 88% of world capacity between the top three.

RosatomUrencoCNNCOrano
Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Sep 1974Construction start
  2. 10 Oct 1977First criticality
  3. 9 Apr 1978Grid connection
  4. 3 Mar 1979Commercial operation
  5. 23 Aug 1991Permanent shutdown

Other Prototype units

5 units worldwide share this model designation.

UnitCountryStatusGross MW
BR3 nuclear power plant 3 Belgium Retired 12
Carolinas-Virginia Tube Reactor nuclear power plant United States Retired 19
Kalpakkam nuclear power plant PFBR India Under construction 500
Pathfinder nuclear power plant United States Retired 63

Sources