Finnish Research Programmes on Nuclear Safety
20th Symposium of AER on VVER Reactor Physics and Reactor Safety (2010, Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland)
Welcome address
Abstract
The current Finnish national research programme on nuclear power plant safety SAFIR2010 for the years 20072010 as well as the coming SAFIR2014 programme for the years 2011-2014 are based on the chapter 7a,
?Ensuring expertise?, of the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act. The objective of this chapter is realised in the research
work and education of experts in the projects of these research programmes.
SAFIR2010 research programme is divided in eight research areas that are Organisation and human, Automation
and control room, Fuel and reactor physics, Thermal hydraulics, Severe accidents, Structural safety of reactor
circuit, Construction safety, and Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA). All the research areas include both projects
in their own area and interdisciplinary co-operational projects. Research projects of the programme are chosen
on the basis of annual call for proposals.
In 2010 research is carried out in 33 projects in SAFIR2010. VTT is the responsible research organisation in 26
of these projects and VTT is also the coordination unit of SAFIR2010 and SAFIR2014. In 2007-2009
SAFIR2010 produced 497 Specified research results (Deliverables), 618 Publications, and 33 Academic degrees.
SAFIR2010 programme covers approximately half of the reactor safety research volume in Finland currently. In
2010 the programme volume is ? 7.1 million and 47 person years. The major funding partners are VYR with ?
2.96 million, VTT with ? 2.66 million, Fortum with ? 0.28 million, TVO with ? 0.19 million, NKS with ? 0.15
million, EU with only ? 0.03 million and other partners with ? 0.85 million.
The new decisions-in-principle on Olkiluoto unit 4 for Teollisuuden Voima and new nuclear power plant for
Fennovoima ratified by the Finnish Parliament on 1 July 2010 increase the annual funding collected according to
the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act from Fennovoima, Fortum and Teollisuuden Voima for the SAFIR2014
programme to ? 5.2 million from the current level of ? 3.0 million in SAFIR2010. The anticipated annual
volume of SAFIR2014 is approximately ? 10 million. The increase in research needs and in training new
personnel is well recognised in the Framework Plan of SAFIR2014.