Research facilities for the future of nuclear power

This paper highlights the main features of the International ENS Class 1 Topical Meeting on ''Research Facilities for the Future of Nuclear Energy'' being organized by the Belgian and French nuclear societies (BNS and SFEN), with the sponsorship of the European Nuclear Society (ENS), in Brussels (Belgium), June 4-6, 1996. This conference will provide an international scientific and technical forum for a broad review, at world level, of the large research facilities supporting R&D programmes related to the operation of nuclear reactor power plants and the development of new concepts. The facilities considered are the facilities, which are existing, under construction or planned for the future, dedicated for tests in the areas of: material testing: research reactors: materials testing reactors (MTR), safety reactors, and other dedicated reactors; hot laboratories and on-line analysis laboratories. nuclear data measurements: equipments such as accelerators. calculation code validation: zero-power critical facilities, large out-of-pile loops. fuel cycle: large R&D facilities for enrichment, fuel manufacture, reprocessing and waste disposal.