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Safe nuclear technology

Safety of nuclear technology in support of the transition towards climate neutrality.

Contributes to EC priorities:

  • 24 FEBRUARY 2023
JRC portfolio 4: Safe nuclear technology

 

Related news

2 scientists in the control room of the ISPRA-1 reactor in Ispra, Italy, 1961
  • News announcement

Over time, nuclear research achieved important results also in fields that are unrelated with energy, such as nuclear forensics and healthcare.

  • 3 min read

Scientific tools

STRESA was developed by JRC-Ispra in the year 2000 with the main objective to disseminate documents and experimental data from large in-house JRC scientific projects, and has been extensively used in order to provide a secure repository of experimental data.

Activities on this topic

Nuclear fuel safety is the basic component of all safety requirements associated with nuclear energy production. The ultimate goal is to ensure that fuel rods in the reactor core will fulfil their main safety function while generating energy.

JRC research encompasses the safety of the reactors and of nuclear fuel, the prevention and mitigation of nuclear accidents, initiatives such as the EU's Clearinghouse, and resources like natural radiation and the radiation environmental monitoring.

The JRC’s work on the nuclear science base for standardisation includes neutron data, targeted alpha therapy which helps with the fight against cancer, fundamental properties and behaviour and actinides, and structural and nuclear materials

The JRC acts as a catalyst, contributing to maintaining and enhancing nuclear skills and competences in Europe and worldwide. It is also a network player, participating to international projects and initiatives.

The safe handling, storage and disposal of nuclear fuel is hugely important in the area of nuclear research, and includes the areas of long-term storage, retrievability and recoverability requirements, and safe decommissioning.

All EU Member States are required to monitor radioactivity in the environment. The JRC is responsible for collecting this data in standardised form, where it is then validated and compiled into databases.