"There is a certain symbolism in putting the reactors so close to the political leaders - we want to show the citizens that if the Prime Minister can be in office a few hundred metres away from the building where the fission reaction is taking place, then Mr Vonička from Kadaň does not have to be afraid of a deep repository for nuclear waste that is a few hundred metres below his well," says Václav Čuba, dean of the faculty.
The biggest technical challenge of the relocation event is related to the spent reactor water, which will not be able to be discharged directly into the Vltava River in the city centre. "We did a lot of tests and we found that the best way is to bottle it in PETs. At first we watered the plants in the department with it, but then when the coconuts started sprouting on the ficus trees, we decided to start selling it as a gift item. At least this will reduce the already high costs, which are running into millions of crowns," says Jan Rataj, head of the Department of Nuclear Reactors, with the bottle in his hand.
The relocation of reactor vessels, fuel and associated laboratories in this year's faculty referendum was initiated mainly by teachers and students who spent most of the day endlessly moving between FJFI buildings scattered all over Prague, or half of the country, if we include the detached workplace in Děčín.
"It was a long way to Troja burrough from Trojanova street, and the analogy with the Trojan horse was an eye-opener; something had to be done about it," explains the second-year student, who did not wish to give his name. The employees of the Nuclear Reactors Department themselves are relatively neutral about the change. "I don't care if we shoot neutrons into the fuel at Prague 1 or Prague 8," said one of them.
The building on Břehová will have to undergo structural modifications and students and staff will have to prepare for several months of noise and dust. And the library, which will become a reactor room. "Its ironic that the reactors will be exactly where the literature department on the subject is now located," sniffs a dismayed librarian Martin Ollé.
To end on a positive note - the new ‘home’ of the VR-1 and VR-2 reactors will bring many benefits, mainly saving time and money.
„Odpadní teplo z reaktorů bude vytápět nejen naše učebny a kanceláře, ale třeba i šatny a ladírny hudebníkům ze sousední konzervatoře a blízkého Rudolfina, takže zmizí problémy s prokřehlými prsty houslistů během Pražského jara,“ vybírá některé benefity proděkan fakulty Jan Vybíral.
"The waste heat from the reactors will heat not only our classrooms and offices, but also the dressing rooms and tuning rooms of the musicians from the neighbouring conservatory and the nearby Rudolfinum, so that the problems with the violinists' stubby fingers during the Prague Spring will disappear," says Jan Vybíral, the vice-dean of the faculty.
The nuke fakulty people are glad you chose to read this article and wish you a wonderful fool´s day!