SAFIR2010: The Finnish Research Programme on Nuclear Power Plant Safety 2007-2010:Interim Report

Major part of Finnish public research on nuclear power plant safety during the years 2007-2008 has been carried out in the SAFIR2010 programme. The steering group of SAFIR2010 consists of representatives from Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO), Fortum Power and Heat Oyj, Fortum Nuclear Services Oy (Fortum), Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes), Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) and Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). In addition to representatives of these organisations, the Steering Group has permanent experts from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) and Fennovoima Oy (Fennovoima). SAFIR2010 research programme is divided in eight research areas that are Organisation and human, Automation and control room, Fuel and reactor physics, Thermal hydraulics, Severe accidents, Structural safety of reactor circuit, Construction safety, and Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA). Research projects of the programme are chosen on the basis of annual call for proposals. The annual volume of the SAFIR2010-programme in 2007-2008 has been 6,3-6,7 M and approximately 50 person years. Main funding organisations in 2007-2008 were State Waste Management Fund VYR with 2,7-3,0 M and VTT with 2,4-2,5 M annually. In 2008 research was carried out in 30 projects. The research in the programme has been carried out primarily by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Other research units responsible for the projects solely or in co-operation with other institutions include Lappeenranta University of Technology, Helsinki University of Technology, Tampere University of Technology, Fortum Nuclear Services Oy, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Finnish Meteorological Institute. In addition, there have been a few minor subcontractors in some projects. The programme management structure consists of the steering group, a reference group in each of the eight research areas and a number of ad hoc groups in the various research areas. This report gives a summary of the technical results of the SAFIR2010 programme from the years 2007-2008