The Halden Reactor Project (HRP), co-ordinated by the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) in Norway, has been in operation since 1958 and is the oldest NEA joint project. To celebrate the achievements from the past 65 years, the Enlarged Halden Programme Group (EHPG) meeting brought together 80 participants from 16 countries to Loen, Norway, on 27-31 May 2024.
In his welcoming address NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV highlighted the accomplishments of the project and the importance of its legacy. “Looking back at this very impressive history it is very difficult to overstate how important the Halden Reactor Project has been to the world. It has served as a platform for co-operation for so many years,” said Director-General Magwood. “I am convinced that the Halden Reactor Project will continue to contribute because of the tremendous historical database provided by the project which will be referenced for decades to come and will continue to improve safety and performance of fuels and materials.”
Véronique Rouyer, Head of the Nuclear Safety Technology and Regulation Division of the NEA, discussed the long-term research needs in order to ensure a safe and sustainable nuclear energy future, highlighting the invaluable contributions made by the HRP and other NEA initiatives to support member countries in the safe development of their nuclear projects. The event was also the occasion to review in detail the knowledge gained from the project for fuel performance and safety and for human technology and organisation, as well as the impact on safety analyses methods and tools. Future developments using the legacy database and the Halden materials library were also discussed.
Meeting sessions dedicated to fuels, materials and human‐technology‐organisation featured more than 40 presentations from project members.
The Halden Reactor Project convenes two EHPG meetings during each three-year programme period. These meetings provide a forum for reporting and discussing the Halden Project's research results, complemented by presentations of related activities carried out at participating organisations. As the HRP is now in its final three-year period from 2024-2026, this was the final EHPG meeting.
