The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has announced the successful completion of the modernization of the instrumentation and control system for the Bangladesh Training Research Reactor (BTRR).
Bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Milestone
KAERI noted that this project signifies a major milestone in the bilateral cooperation in the nuclear sector between Korea and Bangladesh, who have been working together since 2021.
In July 2021, KAERI secured a contract valued at approximately USD 3.9 million from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) to modernize the BTRR.
The project entailed the development and replacement of key facilities at BTRR, including the installation of digital instrumentation and control systems to replace outdated analog systems.
BTRR History and Significance
The 3 MW TRIGA Mark-II research reactor first achieved criticality on September 14, 1986. It has been instrumental in manpower training, radioisotope production (iodine-131), and various research and development activities in neutron activation analysis, neutron radiography, and neutron scattering.
“The BTRR project has been a cornerstone for nuclear cooperation between Korea and Bangladesh, and we anticipate that today’s achievement will further promote the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and technologies in the country,” said In-Cheol Lim, KAERI Executive Vice President.
Memorandum of Understanding and Collaboration
In May 2022, KAERI signed a memorandum of understanding with BAEC to foster technological collaboration in nuclear research and development.
The MoU encompasses cooperation in key areas such as the development, utilization, and upgrade of research reactors, radioisotope production and application, radiation technology development, neutron science, and radioactive waste management.
KAERI’s Global Engagement in Research Reactors
KAERI has also actively championed the development and utilization of research reactors globally. In 2009, a KAERI-led consortium won the contract to construct the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR), marking Korea’s first export of a nuclear reactor.
KAERI played a leading role in the successful completion of the project, from planning and engineering to start-up testing.
International Successes and Proliferation Resistance
In June 2024, a KAERI-led consortium completed a capacity upgrade of a research reactor and installed a cold neutron source at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
This project, known as OYSTER (Optimised Yield – for Science, Technology & Education – of Radiation), began in 2014 and represented Korea’s first export of nuclear reactor technology to Europe. KAERI has also been involved in upgrading and refurbishing research reactors in Greece, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Leveraging its extensive experience and expertise, KAERI is collaborating with US partners to ensure the proliferation resistance of research reactors, particularly in emerging countries. Earlier this year, the Korean government signed an MoU with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for the Proliferation Resistance Optimization (Pro-X) Programme.
Under this cooperative framework, which aims to integrate proliferation resistance into nuclear reactor design, KAERI will work closely with NNSA to optimize the institute’s export-oriented reactor designs, contributing to strengthening the non-proliferation regime in the field of research reactors.