European research reactor strategy derived in the scope of the Towards Optimized Use of Research Reactors (TOURR) project

Pungerčič, Anže (author), Snoj, Luka (author)

Nuclear research reactors (RR) are essential facilities in countries implementing nuclear power plants and are used for experiments necessary for commercial reactor development, training and education programs, and many other applications not related to nuclear energy production (e.g., isotope production, neutron sources, materials science). Europe has a broad and very diverse landscape of RRs, many of which have been in operation for 30-60 years, are well maintained and regularly modernized. However, financial pressures caused by a combination of declining interest and the lack of a sound financial model have led to the closure of many of them (e.g. OSIRIS in Saclay, JEEP II research reactor at IFE Kjeller and BER2 in Berlin). These negative trends called for coordinated European action to assess the impact of the declining number of RRs. The Towards Optimized Use of Research Reactors (TOURR) project was a response to this challenge. Its main objective was to assess the status of the EU RR fleet and to develop a strategy for the refurbishment and construction of new RR in Europe. The assessment was based on analysed data obtained through extensive questionnaires sent to all operating European RR. The analysis revealed gaps in terms of lack of long-term funding, lack of manpower and lack of communication between RRs and their customers. It also showed threats of further European RR closures. Regarding the long-term EU RR strategy, the main recommendations of the TOURR project are to build (at least) two RRs, a medium-flux multipurpose reactor and a flexible zero-power facility. Both reactor cores could be part of a single facility built at the European level and accessible to all EU Member States.

• Language: English
• Keywords: research reactor, utilization, TOURR, strategy, education, training
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 19 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 211, art. 110963
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164621
• UDC: 539.1
• ISSN on article: 0306-4549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110963
• COBISS.SI-ID: 213742083
• Publication date in RUL: 06.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Annals of nuclear energy
• Shortened title: Ann. nucl. energy
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0306-4549
• COBISS.SI-ID: 24965632

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: jedrska fizika, poskusni reaktor, raziskovalni reaktor

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: H2020
• Project number: 945269
• Name: Towards Optimized Use of Research Reactors in Europe
• Acronym: TOURR