nbsp   What is the “Nuclear Battery”?
[A. CANDU Technology] [B. The Industry] [C. Cost/Benefit] [D. Safety/Liability] [E. Waste] [F. Security/Non-Proliferation] [G. Uranium] [H. Research Reactors] [I. Other R&D] [J. Further Info] In the mid-1980s AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.), originally as part of a joint project with Los Alamos National Laboratory, developed a design for a small, passively-cooled nuclear power supply called the “Nuclear Battery”. The project’s initial mandate was to supply compact energy systems for the unattended short-range radar stations in the new North Warning System (NWS), but this was cancelled due to a mismatch between projected development schedule and deployment requirements. AECL continued the development with a new goal of an air-independent auxiliary power source for Diesel submarines, as part of the Canadian Submarine Acquisition Project (CASAP). When CASAP opted for full-powered nuclear submarines of conventional design, AECL again refocused its development program – this time toward
