Five year assessment of the specific programme

Directorate-General For Research And Innovation European Commission

Description

Nuclear fission safety
Nuclear energy and safety

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• Publié par: DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-RESEARCH-AND-INNOVATION-EUROPEAN-COMMISSION
• Nombre de lectures: 13
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

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EUROPEAN
MMISSION
SCIENCE
RESEARCH
DEVELOPMENT
Programmes
Five Year Assessment
of the Specific Programme:
NUCLEAR FISSION
SAFETY
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Report
EUR 17599 European Commission
Five Year Assessment
of the Specific Programme:
NUCLEAR FISSION
SAFETY
R.J. Berry (Chairman)
B.G. Benett
H. Eschrich
F. Feates
R. Guillaumont
F. Marcus
G. Vayssier
A. Wambersie
1997 EUR 17599 EN Published by the
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General XII
Science, Research and Development
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission
is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1997
ISBN 92-828-0627-8
© ECSC-EC-EAEC Brussels · Luxembourg, 1997
Printed in Belgium CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
­ English version (original) ν
­ Traductionfrançaiseix
­ Deutsche Übersetzungxiii
­ Traduzione italianaxvii
­ Nederlandse vertaling xxi
­ Dansk oversættelsexxv
­ Ελληνική Μετάφραση xxix
- Traducción española xxxiii
- Tradução portugesa xxxvi
- Suomalaien kâânnôs xl
- Svensk Översättning xiv
MAIN REPORT
2. INTRODUCTION 1
3. ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE DOMAINS
COVERED BY THIS PROGRAMME AND THEIR MANAGEMENT DURING
THE FIVE YEARS PRECEDING THIS ASSESSMENT 2
3.1 Merging of four previously separate programmes (reactor safety,
waste management, decommissioning, radiation protection)
3.2 Exploring innovative approaches and reactor safety 3
3.3 Radioactive waste management and disposal and decommissioning 9
iii 3.4 Radiological impact on man and the environment 12
3.5 Mastering events of the past; Consequences of Chernobyl and
other radiation accidents 14
3.6 Programme management6
4. CONCLUSIONS7
5. RECOMMENDATIONS8
6. REFERENCES 23
ANNEX I - Terms of Reference and Membership of the Assessment Panel 25
ANNEX II - List of experts interviewed by the Assessment Panel 2X III - Assessment of tasks in the area "Reactor Safety"9
ANNEX IV - Evaluation of the sub-Programme Radioactive Waste Management
and Storage of the Specific "Nuclear Fission Safety" of the European
Commission 3FP 3
ANNEX V - Statistical Overview: Core Indicators 1993 and 1995 4
IV UK
NUCLEAR FISSION SAFETY
EXEC UTI VE SUMMARY
The main impact of the programme has been, and continues to be, the provision of a common scientific
basis for:
• the safe operation of nuclear reactors,
• their effective decommissioning,
• the development of agreed means for the safe management of radioactive waste, and
•e protection of the European population and environment from possible adverse effects of
radiation, and in particular the past, present or future use of nuclear power and the uses of radiation
in medicine.
In reviewing the achievements of the Third Framework Programme (FP3) we have concentrated our
detailed attention on the Reactor Safety and Waste Management areas, since the Radiological Protection
and Decommissioning areas have been subjected to independent evaluation during this five-year period.
In reactor safety, new understanding has been developed of phenomena which may occur in a severe
accident. Progress was made in the area of core degradation, but uncertainties remain in the so-called
late phase.s was achieved in calculating distribution and combustion of hydrogen, and basic
knowledge was obtained in the area of molten fuel-coolant interaction. Several interesting core retention
devices were developed. Fission product behaviour was studied effectively. Accident management
support was initiated to be available to help in recovery following a severe accident.
In radioactive waste management, there has been cost-effective use of expensive underground
laboratories both to develop confidence in safety performance assessment for the selection of future
suitable sites which will meet national criteria, and to understand mechanisms of migration of
radionuclides, many of which are relevant also to other toxic substances. There has been useful
innovation in attempting to reduce the volume of various wastes, the content of long-lived alpha-emitting
materials to be disposed of in repositories, and in the development of waste forms and containers which
are stable in the long term. A 'European Network for Quality Checking of Waste Packages' has been
successful in providing harmonization of quality assurance for radioactive waste products which has been
of help to national regulatory and licensing organizations.
Research in decommissioning has decreased as the technology has matured, and the publication of the
Handbook on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations has proved an excellent means of disseminating
results and of stimulating their practical application.
In radiation protection, the major achievement has been in providing the scientific basis for the revision
of the EC Basic Safety Standards Directive, which was adopted in May 1996. Fundamental advances in
understanding DNA repair after radiation damage, the initial events in radiation carcinogenesis, and in
epidemiology have come from the programme. It has also helped to evaluate patient benefit from
conventional and newly-introduced radiological techniques and contributed to the revision of the Medical
Exposure Directive. Specific achievements in retrospective radiation dosimetry have also resulted from
the programme. The socioeconomic value of the programme can be evaluated in terms of life UK
prolongation and improved quality of life through better medical care, or averted medical cost due to
avoidance of adverse radiation effects.
The analysis of the ecological consequences of the Chernobyl accident has thrown into relief which
remedial actions are beneficial and which are less so. A new approach to radioecological studies has led
to the development of models which may contribute to a comprehensive environmental strategy for
response to any future accident. Finally, much has been achieved in developing and disseminating within
the EU computer programmes for risk assessment and decision support following a nuclear emergency.
The transition from FP3 to the Fourth Framework Programme (FP4), with a smaller number of well-
targeted research areas, increased numbers of partners in each project, increased multi-national
cooperation, increased participation by industry and by small and medium-sized enterprises has led to
improved management of what was already an effective and productive European research effort. In
several areas of this programme, the work of European organisations represents the leading edge of world
science, and these areas do represent real opportunities for added economic value to European industry.
An important outcome of this EU-wide research and training programme is the maintaining of scientific
and technical competence even in those EU member states where such knowledge is not provided as a by­
product of operating nuclear power plants. The continuing safety of populations can be assured only if
sufficient knowledge is available in all countries. This may require that a new generation of suitably
qualified scientists emerges to replace those who are retiring. Active participation in future well-targeted
EU research programmes is an excellent means for fostering a new generation of specialists.
The common scientific base, to which this research programme has made significant contributions, allows
EU member states to make their own policy decisions, but helps to ensure that the logic by which those
decisions evolve is apparent.
The major method of communication of results obtained in this programme is via publication in refereed
scientific journals, but publications by the Commission have made a useful contribution in dissemination of
information about the programme. European and wider international scientific audiences have been
reached successfully by the numerous symposia, workshops and conferences organised within the
programme. However, the use of the results of this programme by other Directorates of the Commission,
e.g. in setting standards, in improving public confidence, and in assistance to countries in central and
eastern Europe, has been less than we would have hoped.
The development of FP4 represents a significant increase in detailed specification by the Commission of
the types of studies which would be supported, although the programme evolved from wide discussions to
allow input from individual scientists. It is important that a balance is maintained to ensure that
opportunity exists for innovative scientific groups in member states to obtain EU funding for work in new
or unorthodox areas where the chance of success may be low but the potential value of success is
disproportionately high.
FP4 provides an excellent base for defining needs for the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5).
However, there will be advantage in reviewing objectives and time schedules in view of