The OECD Halden Reactor Project - International Research on Safety and Reliability of Nuclear Power Generation

Safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants benefit from R&D advances and related technical solutions. The OECD Halden Reactor Project has contributed for many years with programmes devised to provide answers in a direct and effective manner. The OECD Halden Reactor Project was established in 1958 as a joint undertaking of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency through an agreement between national nuclear centres of OECD member countries sponsoring an experimental research programme with the Halden Boiling Water Reactor. Today, it constitutes an international network with 21 member countries. The Joint Programme is renewed every third year and is financed by the participating countries with Norway as host country covering a significant fraction of the budget. The research programmes generate key information for safety and licensing assessments and aim at providing: Basic data on how the fuel performs in commercial reactors, both at normal operation and in transient conditions, with emphasis on extended fuel utilisation. - Knowledge of plant materials behaviour under the combined deteriorating effects of water chemistry and nuclear environment. Advances in computerised surveillance and operator support systems, human factors and man-machine interaction in support of upgraded control rooms.