TRANSURANUS nuclear fuel performance code

Workshops and trainings

The JRC organises every other year an international workshop for TRANSURANUS developers and users to disseminate knowledge and obtain feedback for further developments. 

The JRC provides regular training courses in collaboration with universities for students and staff members of organisations with a valid user license. 

Scientific actions and support

Supporting nuclear safety in the EU

TRANSURANUS supports nuclear safety through reliable simulation of fuel behaviour under normal operation, transient conditions and accident scenarios. It is used in fuel licensing and regulatory review processes. Its adoption by most European Technical Safety Organizations Network (ETSON) members highlights its position as a reference tool for nuclear safety in Europe. 

Support Industrial Alliance for SMRs

The TRANSURANUS user network includes SMR and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR) developers. Recent applications have demonstrated the code’s capability to support safety and performance assessments of advanced fuels for innovative reactor designs, including concepts considered within the framework of the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs. This positions TRANSURANUS as a valuable tool for evaluating fuel behaviour under conditions relevant to advanced reactor deployment. The alliance was created in 2024 by the JRC together with Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) and Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD).

Spent Fuel Managememt

During dry storage and disposal of irradiated nuclear fuel rods, the helium build up and release and cladding degrading mechanisms can affect fuel rod state. JRC initiated collaboration with several EU organisations to extend the TRANSURANUS capabilities for simulation of irradiated nuclear fuel pins during long term storage.

Education and training – developing skills

For more than a decade, TRANSURANUS has also been used extensively in education and training through training courses and workshops with the support of organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN). The code serves as a reference tool for educating students, researchers and professionals in nuclear fuel behaviour modelling and simulation.

Impact and results

As a widely recognized fuel safety modelling tool, TRANSURANUS is used for fuel safety verifications by practically all nuclear EU Member States.  

It is therefore essential to train staff from nuclear safety authorities, technical support organisations and the nuclear industry in both the operational functionalities and the scientific basis of the TRANSURANUS code.  

To ensure this, the JRC trains around 20 nuclear staff each year, contributing to the development and maintenance of high-level skills and competencies in the field of nuclear fuel safety across Europe. 

Through its contribution, the JRC directly supports Member States in the implementation of their nuclear safety policies.

Policy background

TRANSURANUS supports EU nuclear policy under the Euratom framework and the JRC Work Programme 2025-2027.

• Nuclear safety and skills: The JRC contributes to the safe operation of nuclear reactors through independent technical assessments and research on nuclear fuel behaviour, while also supporting the preservation and development of nuclear skills within Europe.
• Small modular reactors: The JRC provides technical evidence on the safety, performance and sustainability of AMR and SMR technologies, and actively supports the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs.
• EU decarbonisation goals: The JRC supports evidence-based policymaking on the role of nuclear energy in Europe’s clean energy transition, including assessments of how advanced nuclear systems may contribute to a stable, low-carbon and diversified energy mix. 

Related portfolios

TRANSURANUS supports the scientific portfolios: