Utilisation of MARIA research reactor for medical applications

The MARIA nuclear research reactor is (after shutting-down of the former EWA reactor on February 24, 1995) the only nuclear reactor operating in Poland. Its nominal thermal power is 30 MW. It is an experimental and production reactor currently designed for the following purposes: - irradiation of materials for the production of radioisotopes, - material engineering and technological research, - development and testing of nuclear measuring and diagnostic systems and subassemblies, - neutron doping of semiconductor materials, - neutron modification of materials, - physical and neutronographic research, - use of neutron beams for medical purposes, - training objectives in physics and reactor technology. It has a favourable geographical location (isolation from human settlements) and thanks to this it avoided the fate of many European nuclear research reactors that were closed for security reasons. It is planned to prolong utilization of the MARIA reactor until 2050. For this reason, in 2021, a long maintenance break is scheduled.