Replacing the fuel of the "Mancer" reactor. Syria redraws its nuclear file:
Syria has revealed discussions with U.S. and Canadian technical teams in Vienna to replace the fuel of the highly enriched miniature research reactor "Manser" with a low-enriched one, as it affirms its commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its keenness to develop peaceful and safe uses of atomic energy.
The head of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission, Mudar al-Akleh, explained that the meetings concluded on Thursday, June 4, and witnessed discussions over the course of a week on the mechanisms of replacing nuclear fuel for the reactor with the aim of revitalizing the work and research and scientific activity inside the reactor facility, according to him.
He said that the core of the reactor will be replaced to confirm Syria's full commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and work under it to develop the peaceful and safe uses of atomic energy, and to take advantage of this process to open new horizons in training and qualifying young Syrian national cadres, and developing their expertise in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in order to ensure raising the efficiency of operation and keeping pace with the international standards in force in the fields of scientific research and peaceful applications for atomic energy.
Procedures and practical steps to amend "Manser"
The reactor, known as the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor, is a Chinese-made miniature research reactor whose core contains up to 90% highly enriched uranium, making it a sensitive material subject to strict international control, so Syria is working to convert it into low-enriched fuel (less than 20%) in order to comply with the requirements of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and eliminate the risks associated with its potential for military purposes.
The heart replacement is carried out under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with direct funding and technical coordination from the United States and Canada, as well as international laboratories specialized in nuclear fuel retardation and reactor modification.
The move has additional dimensions, as it comes after years of disagreement between Damascus and the IAEA over the site of al-Kubr in Deir Ezzor, which was bombed by Israel in 2007. This new technical cooperation is seen as a confidence-building measure, easing diplomatic pressure on the Syrian nuclear file, and enhancing the capabilities of young national cadres to operate the reactor in accordance with international standards.
Syria's Manser reactor
The construction of the Manser reactor began in 1991, before it officially entered service in 1996 at a facility belonging to the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission in the Deir al-Hajar area of the eastern Damascus countryside, and since its operation, the reactor has been closely monitored within the comprehensive safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including periodic visits and environmental sampling.
Technically, Mancer is classified as a very small research reactor with a thermal capacity of no more than 30 kilowatts, which is modest compared to megawatt power reactors, and uses nearly 90% highly enriched uranium fuel, with an amount not exceeding one kilogram, which is not enough to make a nuclear weapon, as it requires at least 25 kilograms.
The reactor relies on light water as a sedative and coolant, with a self-safety system that automatically stops the reaction when the temperature rises.
At the level of uses, the role of the reactor is limited to scientific and developmental purposes, most notably neutron analysis to determine the proportions of elements in geological and biological samples, the production of limited quantities of short-lived medical and industrial radioisotopes, in addition to training and qualifying Syrian students and cadres in the fields of nuclear engineering and physics.