The purpose of the meeting is to gather insights and perspectives from vendors and research organizations on potential game changers that could lead to new developments in water-cooled reactor (WCR) concepts and designs aimed at improving safety features to prevent accidents and mitigate their consequences, increase thermal efficiency, reliability, and overall performance, and facilitate integration with future energy systems.

Specific objectives of the meeting are as follows:

• Share knowledge on current and emerging WCR advancements: facilitate the exchange of insights on the latest developments in WCR designs, with a focus on features that enhance operational flexibility, safety, and efficiency;
• Identify drivers and opportunities for WCR development: explore key factors driving progress in WCR technology, including the integration of new materials, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and advanced systems designed to minimize accident risks, enable real-time monitoring, and improve overall performance;
• Address technological challenges: discuss critical technological difficulties, including the development of solutions for modular construction and transportability, to support the scalability and deployment of WCR designs;
• Evaluate future research directions and collaboration opportunities: identify promising areas for future research, promote international collaboration, and explore potential co-development projects that can accelerate WCR advancements, meet growing global energy demands, and ensure both safety and sustainability.

Furthermore, the event will offer a platform for participants to engage in interactive discussion sessions, allowing them to contribute to event summaries, share key insights, and propose future initiatives to the IAEA. Contributions in the form of technical papers, presentations, and session discussions will be compiled into an IAEA publication. This publication will serve as a valuable reference for stakeholders such as technology developers, technical support organizations, computer code developers, licensees, and national regulators, while also providing the public with a comprehensive overview of ongoing efforts in this field.
All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.
In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State or invited organization, participants are requested to submit their application via the InTouch+ platform (https://intouchplus.iaea.org) to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) or organization for onward transmission to the IAEA by 15 March 2025, following the registration procedure in InTouch+.