Climate change will create specific risks and challenges for nuclear power plants and the electricity system as a whole. Extreme weather events caused by climate change – such as floods, storms, heat waves and droughts – have already affected the operation of nuclear power plants. Any...

Understanding the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is important for safe and timely decommissioning of the reactors. This objective, together with the development of better computer codes for analysis of severe accidents, was the aim of the benchmark study conducted under...

The existing nuclear fleet remains the largest low-carbon source of electricity generation in OECD countries. In 2021 the average nuclear power plant had already been operating for 31 years and some 30% of reactors worldwide were already operating under long-term operation conditions. The...

The opening of energy markets is leading to increased competition, and the nuclear power industry must adapt if it is to meet this challenge. Internationally discussions are taking place among government authorities and electric utilities and vendors on how to deal with the rapid technical...

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency co-operates with both the central and eastern European countries and the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union in planning and executing safety research programmes. The purpose is to build up know-how and capabilities in safety technology pertaining to...

Nuclear power plant life management (PLIM) has become an important issue in the context of changing business circumstances caused by regulatory reform of the electricity market. Specifically, the economic aspect of PLIM is being closely investigated as part of the search for greater...

Each nuclear power plant, fuel cycle facility and nuclear research and test facility that is operating today will eventually reach the end of its useful life and cease operation. During the period of its decommissioning, it is important to properly manage the health and environmental hazards and...

R&D activities and construction plans related to high power proton accelerators are being considered in various countries to promote basic and applied sciences. Both accelerator scientists and reactor physicists gathered at an NEA workshop to discuss the reliability of the accelerator;...