SARNET: Sustainable integration of EU research on severe accident phenomenology and management

In spite of the accomplishments reached in severe accident research, thanks notably to the EU projects carried out during previous Framework Programmes, a limited number of specific items remain where research activities are still necessary to reduce further uncertainties that are considered of importance for nuclear reactor safety and to consolidate severe accident management plans. Facing and anticipating budget reductions, 52 European R and D organizations, including technical supports of safety authorities, industry, utilities and universities, have decided to join their efforts in a durable way by networking their research activities in the frame of a Network of Excellence proposed as a FP-6 project called SARNET, coordinated by the French Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire. The integral severe accident analysis code ASTEC, developed by IRSN and GRS, will provide the backbone of the integration. Actions are proposed to integrate in ASTEC the current knowledge and all the future knowledge generated within SARNET. In addition, integrating activities will be carried out as the creation of large scientific databases, the elaboration of a research priority index, education and training. (authors)