Nordic cooperation in nuclear safety

A new four-year safety programme is outlined as a continuation of two previous Nordic programmes, the first of which started in 1977 and the second in 1981. The programme will be carried out as a cooperation between institutions within the Nordic countries. It will be partly financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The programme encompasses work within five prinicpal areas: - release of radioactivity, its dispersion and environmental impact - nuclear waste management - risk analysis and safety philosophy - materials research - advanced information technology. The programme is planned with the aim to provide answers on questions that will be relevant towards the end of the present decade in order to maintain the high safety level of nuclear installations in the Nordic countries. The programme will also provide decision makers with background information to enable them to realistically judge the impact of nuclear power and the precautions necessary in order to maintain its safety. This joint effort makes it possible to coordinate resources available in the Nordic countries, which in turn results in an increased efficiency of the research. The results are intended to be applicable also outside the nuclear field. More than thirty project descriptions are included within the five principal working areas. The programme calls for a Nordic financing of 26 million Norwegian Kroner over the four-year period. National contributions are expected to correspond to an amount larger than the Nordic funding. (authors)