View source for SAFARI-1

{{Short description|South African nuclear research reactor}}
{{Infobox power station
| name               = SAFARI-1
| name_official      = South African Fundamental Atomic Research Installation 1<ref>{{cite web|title=Nuclear research for a sustainable future|url=http://www.necsa.co.za/Portals/1/Documents/4d04001c-20fd-40a5-a871-04daa8447ab5.pdf|publisher=[[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation]]|accessdate=25 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419144926/http://www.necsa.co.za/Portals/1/Documents/4d04001c-20fd-40a5-a871-04daa8447ab5.pdf|archive-date=19 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Obama praises SA on nuclear disarmament|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7468:obama-praises-sa-on-nuclear-disarmament&catid=54:Governance&Itemid=118|publisher=defenceWeb|accessdate=25 November 2012|date=12 April 2010}}</ref> 
| image              = Pelindaba-geboue.jpg
| image_size         = 
| image_caption      = Buildings housing the SAFARI-1 reactor
| image_alt          = 
| coordinates = {{coord|25|48|0|S|27|57|0|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| country            = [[South Africa]]
| location             = [[Pelindaba]], [[North West (South African province)]]
| status             = Operational
| construction_began = 1961
| commissioned       = 1965
| decommissioned     = 
| cost               = 
| owner              = 
| operator           = [[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation|NECSA]]
| ps_units_uc  = 
| ps_units_planned= 
| ps_units_decommissioned  = 
| np_reactor_type       = 
| np_reactor_supplier   = 
| ps_units_manu_model   = 
| ps_electrical_capacity = 20 [[Megawatt|MW]]
| ps_electrical_cap_fac    = 
| website            = {{url|www.necsa.co.za}}
| extra              = 
}}

'''SAFARI-1''' is a 20 MW light water-cooled, beryllium reflected, pool-type [[research reactor]], initially used for high level [[nuclear physics]] research programmes and was commissioned in 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrpa.no/symposium/abstracts/Charles%20Piani%20-%20South%20African%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Corporation%20(Necsa),%20Pelindaba%20South%20Africa.doc|title=SAFARI-1: Conversion to LEU|publisher=[[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation]]|accessdate=2008-12-03|archive-date=2011-07-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724182616/http://www.nrpa.no/symposium/abstracts/Charles%20Piani%20-%20South%20African%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Corporation%20(Necsa),%20Pelindaba%20South%20Africa.doc|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="sagi-leu">{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2005/05072012151001.htm|title=Minister of Minerals and Energy announces the phasing out of the use of High Enriched Uranium for the Pelindaba Research Reactor Nuclear Fuel|date=2005-07-18|publisher=South African Government Information|accessdate=2008-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604095518/http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2005/05072012151001.htm|archive-date=2011-06-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The reactor is owned and operated by [[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation]] (NECSA) at their facility in [[Pelindaba]], [[South Africa]].

The reactor is a [[swimming pool reactor|tank in pool]] type reactor<ref name="vlok-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.igorr.com/home/liblocal/docs/Proceeding/Meeting%208/ouo_06.pdf|title=REACTOR OPERATIONS AT SAFARI-1|last=Vlok|first=JWH|publisher=Manager: Reactor Operations SAFARI-1 Research Reactor [[NECSA]]|accessdate=2008-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005208/http://www.igorr.com/home/liblocal/docs/Proceeding/Meeting%208/ouo_06.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> and is designed to run on [[enriched uranium]].  Currently the fuel in use is the remains of the decommissioned [[South Africa and weapons of mass destruction|South African nuclear weapons]].

== History ==
The reactor was built in cooperation with the [[Atoms for Peace]] program run by the US Dept Of Energy in the 1950s and '60s.<ref name="idrc-1">{{cite book|title=FROM DEFENCE TO DEVELOPMENT&nbsp;— Redirecting Military Resources in South Africa|editor=David Philip|publisher=CRDI|year=1998|chapter=Ch. 9. Apartheid’s nuclear arsenal: Deviation from development|isbn=1-55250-151-5|chapter-url=http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-68076-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html|accessdate=2008-12-03|archive-date=2006-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061203075544/http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-68076-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Planning started in 1960 and construction occurred between 1961 and 1965. In March 1965 the reactor was commissioned and initially operated at 6.75 MW, a limitation imposed by the capacity of the secondary cooling circuit. Output was increased to 20 MW in 1968 after the secondary cooling circuit was upgraded.<ref name="vlok-1"/>

Initially the reactor was fueled with [[Enriched uranium|High Enriched uranium (HEU)]] supplied by the United States, but in 1975 exports of HEU from the USA to South Africa was suspended in protest of South Africa's [[South Africa and weapons of mass destruction|nuclear weapons program]] and the construction of the [[Valindaba]] Y-plant. In order to conserve the available fuel supply, reactor output was reduced to 5 MW and operating hours were dramatically reduced <ref name="vlok-1"/><ref name="cochran-1">{{cite journal |last= Cochran |first= Thomas B. |year=1994|title=Highly Enriched Uranium Production for South African Nuclear Weapons |journal= Science & Global Security |publisher=Gordon and Breach Science Publishers B.A. |volume= 4|issue= 2 |pages=161–176 |url= http://docs.nrdc.org/nuclear/files/nuc_10139301a_116.pdf |accessdate=2008-12-04|doi= 10.1080/08929889408426398|bibcode= 1994S&GS....4..161C }}</ref>

In 1979 the [[Valindaba]] Y-plant started producing 45% [[enriched uranium|HEU]] and in 1981 the first fuel assemblies from [[Valindaba]] were made available to fuel SAFARI-1. Operating hours were increased, but power was kept at 5 MW until 1993 when it was increased to 10 MW and eventually 20 MW due to the commercialisation of [[NECSA]] operations.<ref name="vlok-1"/><ref name="cochran-1"/>

The reactor was shut down for repairs in 1988 after a water leak was detected in the pool.<ref name="vlok-1"/>

In 2005 it was announced that the reactor is to be converted from using [[Enriched uranium|High Enriched uranium]] to [[Enriched uranium|Low Enriched uranium]] as fuel.<ref name="sagi-leu"/><ref name="necsa-leu-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rertr.anl.gov/RERTR29/PDF/2-6_Piani.pdf|title=SAFARI-1: Achieving Conversion to LEU&nbsp;— A Local Challenge |publisher=[[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation]]|accessdate= 2008-12-03}}</ref>

== Use ==
One of Safari-1s primary uses is the production of [[radio isotopes]] for [[radiopharmacology]] use in [[nuclear medicine]], specifically the production of [[molybdenum-99]].<ref name="ejnm-23-12">{{cite journal|date=December 1996|title=Molybdenum-99 production in South Africa |journal=European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging|volume= 23 |issue= 12 |pages=1681–1687|issn=1619-7089 |doi=10.1007/BF01249633 |last1=Iturralde |first1=Mario P.|s2cid=28154691 }}</ref><ref name=wnn-20181119>{{cite news |url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/South-Africa-to-resume-radioisotope-production |title=South Africa to resume radioisotope production |publisher=World Nuclear News |date=19 November 2018 |accessdate=20 November 2018}}</ref>

Radio isotopes are distributed through [[NTP Radioisotopes]], a subsidiary company of [[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation|NECSA]]

== See also ==
* [[Pelindaba]]
* [[South African Nuclear Energy Corporation]]
* [[Atoms for Peace]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080907025244/http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/SAfrica/Nuclear/2144_3762.html SAFARI-1] at the [[Nuclear Threat Initiative]]
* [http://www.radioisotopes.co.za NTP Radioisotopes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812151339/http://radioisotopes.co.za/ |date=2013-08-12 }}
* [http://www.rertr.anl.gov/index.html Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program]
* [https://www.wilsoncenter.org/nuclear-history-documents The Woodrow Wilson Center's Nuclear Proliferation International History Project] or NPIHP is a global network of individuals and institutions engaged in the study of international nuclear history through archival documents, oral history interviews and other empirical sources.

{{South African nuclear sites}}

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[[Category:Nuclear research reactors]]
[[Category:Nuclear technology in South Africa]]
[[Category:South African nuclear sites]]
[[Category:Research in South Africa]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in North West (South African province)]]
[[Category:1965 in South Africa]]
[[Category:South Africa–United States relations]]