The EPR nuclear island. Technological solutions developed during basic design

The European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) is to be a reactor meeting the highest safety standard. In the basic design phase, the plant was demonstrated to achieve the design objectives, i.e. a balanced safety concept was established. This will be treated further with the safety authorities and the independent expert consultants in Germany and France. In particular, core meltdown accidents can be controlled in such a way as to obviate the need for decisive measures to be taken outside the plant. One important objective is the maintenance of containment integrity. The potential for cost reduction inherent in the plant design is to be tapped. By late 1998, all preconditions are to be met for a site-independent licensing procedure to be started. (orig.)