KNOW-HOW TRANSFER IN NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

In 1994 it was forty years ago that R1 was commissioned RI was Sweden' s first nuclear reactor, situated in the center of Stockholm, built by an enthusiastic ''young generation'' of graduate engineers and techni cians. The reactor went critical for the first time at 6.59 p.m. on Ju ly 13, 1954. This marked Sweden's entry into the nuclear age and const ituted the basis of the peaceful utilization of nuclear power. The eng ineers who built R1 and the commercial nuclear power plants in Sweden, among other installations, are now about to retire for age reasons. O ne of the most burning issues for the survival of the nuclear industry is the need to replace these pioneers by competent young people. The article contains a description of the efforts taken by ABB and ABB Ato m to transfer the necessary know-how to the generations who are to ass ume responsibility for nuclear power in Sweden. Many people ask whethe r there are young engineers who are really willing to put their stakes on nuclear power. The ''Young Generation '' Project shows that there is a clearly positive answer to this question.