RV-1 nuclear reactor

The RV-1 nuclear reactor, now repurposed and known as Gamma rays sterilization plant ('Pegamma'; Spanish: Planta de Esterilización por Rayos Gamma),^[1] is a facility located in Altos Mirandinos, Miranda, Venezuela.^[1] It was the only nuclear reactor in Venezuela and one of the first reactors in Latin America.^[2][3][a] Currently, it is used as a gamma ray facility for microbiological sterilization of surgical supplies, packaging, medicine and dry food.^[4]

RV-1
Façade of the RV-1 Nuclear Reactor facility in the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC)
Reactor concept	Pool-type
Status	Dismantled
Location	Venezuela
Coordinates	10°23′51″N 66°59′03″W
Main parameters of the reactor core
Fuel (fissile material)	235U
Primary moderator	Light water
Primary coolant	Water
Reactor usage
Primary use	Research
Power (thermal)	3 MW
Criticality (date)	12 July 1960
Operator/owner	IVIC

Characteristics

The RV-1 was a pool-type material testing reactor (MTR) with a capacity of 3 megawatts of thermal power. It contained 20% enriched uranium as core fuel and used light water as both coolant and neutron moderator.^[5]

History

During the regime of president Marcos Pérez Jiménez, Venezuela became member of the International Atomic Energy Agency after purchasing the RV-1 reactor from General Electric in 1956.^[6][7] The project was supported by the administration of United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to help promote the Atoms for Peace program,^[8][9] with the United States donating US$300,000 for the construction of the reactor.^[9] The reactor was constructed in the grounds of the Venezuelan Institute of Neurology and Brain Research (IVNIC, now known as IVIC - Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research) under the supervision of Humberto Fernández-Morán; he never saw the project finished, as he went into exile after the Pérez Jiménez regime fell in 1958.^[6]

The reactor reached criticality in 1960 and was used for several decades to perform physics research, radiochemistry, production of radioisotopes and as neutron source.^[5] RV-1 was last operated in March 1991 and the decision to permanently shutdown the reactor was made in 1997.^[5] The core was later dismantled and sent back to the United States.^[8]

Repurposing and cancelled sequels

The Venezuelan government approved 2.1 million dollars to repurpose the reactor in 2010.^[1] Under the name 'Pegamma',^[1] IVIC received the authorization in 2004 to use the renewed reactor facility as an industrial irradiation plant, with a cobalt-60 gamma rays source with a capacity of 1 megacurie.^[4][8]

Venezuela later announced plans to build a nuclear power station in 2010.^[10] The government signed an agreement with Russia for the purchase and installation of two new nuclear reactors,^[8] but after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, President Hugo Chávez announced a halt to plans on building a nuclear power plant.^[8][11]

See also

• Nuclear energy in Venezuela

Notes

1. According to the IVIC,^[2] RV-1 was the first nuclear reactor in Latin America, other sources consider RA-1 Enrico Fermi (criticality in 1958) in Argentina as such.^[3] Consider also Brazilian IEA-R1 [pt] (criticality in 1957).