NF-PRO's Fourth Workshop (event information)

Introduction

The management of long-lived and high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel is one of the most challenging issues regarding nuclear power generation. In the 1970's, national and international research programmes were set up with the purpose of investigating various options for the management of radioactive waste. Today, broad consensus exists in the scientific community on deep (geological) disposal as the ultimate solution for the safe long-term management of the radioactive wastes. Through geological disposal, radioactive waste is isolated from the biosphere by multiple engineered and natural barriers.

Until now, facilities for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel have not yet effectively been implemented. However, radioactive waste management programmes in a number of Member States of the European Union are at the crossroads and are moving towards the investigation and the selection of potential sites for geological disposal facilities.

R&D plays a decisive role in the evaluation of the long-term safety of the final repository and the development of the safety case as part of the license application process. NF-PRO is an Integrated Project supported by the European Commission. For the first time, NF-PRO brings together European research and expertise on the near-field system, which includes a series of man-made barriers ensuring the long-term confinement of the disposed waste.

Since NF-PRO is in its final year of operation, results from research are now becoming available. NF-PRO contributed substantially to the establishing of a scientific basis for geological disposal. During the Workshop, key experts will present latest advancements in near-field research and review how results from NF-PRO contributed to a better understanding of the long-term barrier performance of the near-field system. The Workshop will also identify future directions and priorities in research and will discuss how results from R&D can be integrated in the safety case.