Report on the operation of the High Flux Reactor in the years 2014-15

Background and further information:

On 13 November 2012, the Council adopted a four-year (2012-15) supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on the operation of the high flux reactor (HFR) located in Petten, The Netherlands. Under Article 4 of this Council Decision, the Commission must keep the European Parliament and the Council informed by reporting on the implementation of the supplementary research programme. A mid-term report has already addressed the 2012-2013 period; therefore this final report will address the remaining 2014-2015 period.

In operation since 1961, the HFR reactor provides a variety of irradiation location possibilities (reactor core, reflector region and in the poolside). The main objectives of the supplementary research programme are:
- To ensure the safe and reliable operation of the HFR, in order to guarantee the availability of the neutron flux for experimental purposes.
- To allow an efficient use of the HFR by research institutes in a broad range of disciplines: improvement of the safety of nuclear reactors, health including the development of medical isotopes, nuclear fusion, fundamental research and training, and waste management including the possibility to study the safety issues of nuclear fuels for reactor systems of interest to Europe.

The HFR is used for the commercial production of radio-isotopes and also acts as a training facility for doctoral and post-doctoral fellows, allowing them to perform research activities through national or European programmes.

EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)46: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the report http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:046:FIN

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