第１弾はガーナ向け輸出　次世代原発、日米で主導権

　【ワシントン時事】日米両政府は２６日、次世代型原発の輸出に向けた日米協力の第１弾として、アフリカ西部ガーナの小型モジュール炉（ＳＭＲ）導入を支援すると発表した。中国やロシアが大型原子炉の海外展開を積極的に進める中、日米はＳＭＲで主導権を確保する狙いだ。
　次世代型原発は安全性やエネルギー効率の向上が見込める新技術を採用。従来型より出力が小さいＳＭＲは原子炉が冷却しやすいため安全性が高いとされるが、実用例はまだない。岸田文雄首相とバイデン米大統領は５月に東京都内で会談し、次世代型原発の世界展開を進める方針で一致した。（2022/10/27-15:12）

Japan and the United States said Wednesday they will collaboratively support the deployment of small modular reactors in Ghana, which marks the first bilateral cooperation for exporting next-generation nuclear reactors.
   The move comes after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in May to promote the global deployment of next-generation nuclear reactors, which adopt new technologies for improved safety and efficiency.
   SMRs have a lower power output than conventional nuclear reactors, and are considered highly safe because they can be cooled easily. None of them have been put into practical use so far.
   Japan and the United States are aiming to take the initiative in exporting SMRs while China and Russia are actively deploying large reactors abroad.
   The Japanese government will support on-site feasibility studies for the deployment to be carried out in Ghana by leading SMR developer NuScale Power LLC based in Oregon as well as Japanese reactor manufacturers IHI Corp. and JGC Corp. and others.