Management, exploitation and assessment of knowledge in the Severe Accident (SA) field is the top level objective of SEAKNOT. In order to achieve it, some specific goals are pursued:

• To carry out a critical analysis of the current knowledge on SAs to make recommendations on the way forward to significantly reduce risks associated with existing and forthcoming nuclear technologies (SMLWRs & ATFs).
• To identify experimental research needs required to support and optimize SA mitigation measures, including an assessment of the current and future EU SA facilities.
• To strengthen the background and the skills of the young generation on SA through the implementation of an efficient plan to achieve Knowledge and Know-how Transfer (K2T) from senior scientists and engineers.

As a consequence, the major outcomes of the project have been identified as:

• Phenomena Identification Ranking Table (PIRT) on SA
• SA Validation Database Directory
• SA experimental infrastructure network, including a mapping of existing facilities and needs
• Knowledge spreading (SA Textbook, new editions of SA Phenomenology Course and ERMSAR Conference)
• Ambitious mobility granting for MSc/PhD students and young researchers

2024 Forum Poster

• Enhance NPP safety outlining the most efficient path for investigation to be conducted in the coming years.
• Maintain and further expand EC expertise in SA domain.
• Strengthen the abilities and skills of the workforce responsible for conducting such research.
• Reinforce education & training activities on SA.

Dissemination actions will have three axes: scientific, supporting the creation and diffusion of high-quality applied knowledge; societal, generating knowledge that support the uptake of innovative solutions to address global challenges, including SDG7 Clean Energy; and economic, facilitating technological development, demonstration and deployment of innovative solutions.

• Strong benefit from previous EU and non-EU research in the SA field.
• Collaboration with the NEA/CSNI and IAEA related Working Groups, strong link with the NUGENIA TA2.
• Creation of a “common space” for SA experts and young  nuclear generations.
• A reset of needs in SA research based on what’s known, what’s unknown and what’s is safety significant.
• Upcoming technological and methodological innovation without neglecting the expertise built for decades.

NEWS

The Short Course on Severe Accident Phenomenology (SAP2025) will take place June 23–27, 2025, at FZJ Jülich (Germany), followed by the Severe Accident Summer Camp (SASCAMP2025) on June 30 – July 4, 2025.

Organized under the SEAKNOT Euratom project, SAP2025 builds on decades of severe accident research, offering in-depth lectures and networking opportunities for students, engineers, and researchers. Topics include severe accident progression, mitigation, and Fukushima-Daiichi decommissioning. Registration is open until March 31, 2025, with limited seats available (27 for SAP, 8 for SASCAMP). ENEN is offering 10 scholarships (€900 each)—applications must be submitted separately.

CIEMAT/IRSN/KIT/JSI/UPM/FZJ/UJV/TRACTEBEL/ FRAMATOME/KTH/VTT/ENEA/CEA/UNIPI/BT/LGI/PSI

October 2022 to September 2026 – 4 years

Budget €2,726,993.75

Technical Project Leader:

Luis E. Herranz (CIEMAT) Email: luisen.herranz@ciemat.es

• Severe Accident Phenomenology (SAP) Course – two editions planned in June 2023 (UPM Madrid) and 2025 (FZJ)
• European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research (ERMSAR) – two editions planned in May 2024 (KTH Stockholm) and 2026 (CIEMAT Madrid)

A factsheet containing the key information about this project is available for download below.

This project has received funding from the HORIZON-EURATOM-2021-NRT-01 under grant agreement No 101060327