<p>Toshiba Corp. will study cooperating with U.S. venture firm TerraPower, funded by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Gates, to jointly develop traveling-wave reactor that can function up to 100 years without refueling, they said.<br /><br />Gates is said to be considering investing personal assets worth several hundreds of billions of yen in developing the new type of reactor.<br />The officials said Toshiba and TerraPower have begun exchanging information in a move that would bring together Gates' ample wealth and the know-how and experience which the Japanese electronics giant has established in the nuclear power business, Kyodo news agency reported.<br /><br />While it is likely to take more than a decade to put the next-generation reactors to practical use, the TWRs can save operating costs because they do not require refueling and are expected to draw demand in emerging countries.<br />The new reactors, which consume depleted uranium as fuel, can operate from 50 to 100 years and are considered relatively safer than conventional boiling water reactors, which need periodic refueling.<br /><br />Toshiba, which acquired Westinghouse Electric Co. of the United States, is currently developing an ultracompact nuclear reactor, called the Super-Safe, Small and Simple, or 4S, which can operate continuously for up to 30 years.<br />The 4S technology is believed to be applicable with the TWRs because they have many aspects in common, according to the officials.<br /><br />Gates, who has recently been focusing on global warming and other climate issues, effectively owns TerraPower and proposed the collaboration with Toshiba, the report said.</p>
<p>Toshiba Corp. will study cooperating with U.S. venture firm TerraPower, funded by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Gates, to jointly develop traveling-wave reactor that can function up to 100 years without refueling, they said.<br /><br />Gates is said to be considering investing personal assets worth several hundreds of billions of yen in developing the new type of reactor.<br />The officials said Toshiba and TerraPower have begun exchanging information in a move that would bring together Gates' ample wealth and the know-how and experience which the Japanese electronics giant has established in the nuclear power business, Kyodo news agency reported.<br /><br />While it is likely to take more than a decade to put the next-generation reactors to practical use, the TWRs can save operating costs because they do not require refueling and are expected to draw demand in emerging countries.<br />The new reactors, which consume depleted uranium as fuel, can operate from 50 to 100 years and are considered relatively safer than conventional boiling water reactors, which need periodic refueling.<br /><br />Toshiba, which acquired Westinghouse Electric Co. of the United States, is currently developing an ultracompact nuclear reactor, called the Super-Safe, Small and Simple, or 4S, which can operate continuously for up to 30 years.<br />The 4S technology is believed to be applicable with the TWRs because they have many aspects in common, according to the officials.<br /><br />Gates, who has recently been focusing on global warming and other climate issues, effectively owns TerraPower and proposed the collaboration with Toshiba, the report said.</p>