The Halden Reactor Project

The Halden Project is a joint undertaking of national organizations in 19 countries sponsoring a jointly financed programme under the auspices of the OECD – Nuclear Energy Agency.

The programme aims to generate key information for safety and licensing assessments and aim at providing:

• Extended fuel utilization: Basic data on how the fuel performs in commercial reactors, both at normal operation and transient conditions, with emphasis on extended fuel utilization.
• Degradation of core materials: Knowledge of plant materials behaviour under the combined deteriorating effects of water chemistry and nuclear environment.

These items are collectively known as The Joint Programme.

The Joint programme is financed by the participating countries and was renewed every three years. As a host country, Norway covered about 35% of the Joint programme cost.

The Halden reactor was shut down permanently in June 2018. It has been regarded in many countries as a strategic asset for testing fuel and reactor components. The associated Fuels and Materials research programme will end in 2023.

In 2021, the OECD NEA Halden Human-Technology-Organisation Project was established to continue the research previously addressed in the Man-Technology-Organisation research programme in the original Halden Project.

The programme results are systematically reported in Halden Work Reports and in Enlarged meetings organised by the Project. Participants’ activities are also presented at these meetings. Special workshops with participation of experts are frequently arranged for in-depth assessments of specific issues.

The organisations participating in the Halden Project represent a complete cross section of the nuclear community, including licensing and regulatory bodies, vendors, utility industry and research organisations. The active guidance and scrutiny exerted by all participants on the programmes ensure that they remain focused on issues of direct and practical relevance.

The programme is executed by the Norwegian Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) at its Halden establishment.