241 



THE DRAGON PROJECT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 



The second experimental nuclear power reactor is the high tem- 

 perature reactor project at the Winfrith establishment of the United 

 Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in Dorset. Known as 

 the Dragon Project, this reactor, which was originally built by the 

 UKAEA as part of its reactor program, became an international 

 project of the NEA through an agreement of March 23, 1959. While the 

 initial charter of the project emphasized research, development, and 

 demonstration, its objectives were modified in 1969 to permit the 

 project to assist the nuclear industries of participating countries in 

 their exploitation of this particular nuclear power technology. 



As with the Halden Project, the Dragon Project is modest in size. 

 At the end of March 1970, its staff included ill secured from the 

 signatory countries. Project expenditures for the year ending March 31, 



1970 were about $5.6 million, while the budget for fiscal years 



1971 through 1973 was projected at about $17.3 million. Over the 14 

 years of its operation, the total funding of the project amounted to 

 $95 million. 



The administrative arrangements of the Drasron Project are 

 characterized by flexibility in professional staffing. The UKAEA acts 

 as operating contractor to the NEA. The international character of 

 the project is emphasized by selection of staff from all participating 

 countries. Only minor difficulties have been experienced in assembling 

 the research team, and the working relations between persons of very 

 different backgrounds is reported to be good. The administrative sys- 

 tem enjoys the advantage that new persons with new ideas can readily 

 join the project, but it suffers from a comparatively high turnover rate 

 in its staff. 266 



Overall control of the project is exercised by a Board of Manage- 

 ment 267 which determines the work program and budget for each 

 year. Day-to-day operation of the project is entrusted to a Chief 

 Executive who together with other senior staff, is appointed by the 

 Board. The arrangement whereby the UKAEA acts as the legal 

 agent for the project seems compatible with control of the project's 

 affairs by the signatories and the arrangement has been found to 

 be an entirely workable solution to a difficult problem. 268 



The United States is involved in the Dragon Project through an 

 Agreement for Cooperation between the AEC and NEA under which 

 information from the project is made available to the United States 

 in exchange for information arising from the AEC's research on this 

 type of reactor. 



Results from the project are distributed to the signatories who may 

 disclose the information to persons and undertakings in their own 

 territories, but not to others except with the agreement of all the 

 signatories. 



The international character of the Dragon Project has been em- 

 phasized in its staffing, in the policies for carrying out its tasks, and 

 in its arrangements for the placing of contracts. As an international 



283 C. A. Ronnie. G. E. Loekett and R. E. Reynolds. "The Dragon Project." Proceed- 

 ings of the Third International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy (New 

 York : United Nations. 196. r O. vol. 1. p. 319. 



287 The Board consists of representatives from all the signatories and from the NEA. 



2S8 Rennie. Loekett and Reynolds, op. clt, p. 318. 



