Considering the priority topics of NUGENIA and the achievements of the EU HPMC project, the overall objective of the McSAFE project is to move the Monte Carlo based stand-alone and coupled solution methodologies (advanced depletion, optimal coupling of MC-codes to thermal-hydraulic solvers, time-dependent Monte Carlo and methods and algorithms for massively parallel simulations) to become valuable and widespread numerical tools for realistic core design, safety analysis and industry-like applications of LWRs of generation II and III. On one hand, the envisaged developments will permit to predict important core safety parameters with less conservatism than current state-of-the-art methods and on the other hand, it will make possible the increase the performance and operational flexibility of nuclear reactors. Last but not least, this kind of projects fosters the dissemination of knowledge from experienced researchers to young engineers, scientists as well as master and doctoral students. The McSAFE project is planned to be a research and innovation action. Even though the applications foreseen for this period are all focused on Generation II, the codes and methods to be further developed and validated can be applied to Gen-III and Gen-IV reactors in a straight-forward manner. In addition, the McSAFE tools and methods are also applicable to research reactors (core design optimisation and safety features evaluation), where the complicated geometry and physics of the core can be adequately simulated only by Monte Carlo codes.

The project Accelerated Program for Implementation of secure VVER fuel Supply will create security of supply of nuclear fuel for Russian designed pressurized water reactors (VVER) operating in the EU and Ukraine by diversification of fuel sources in full compliance with nuclear safety. The project will reinforce the European capabilities for nuclear fuel supply for reactors of VVER-440 design and expedite the process of strengthening such capabilities. The constitution of the consortium creates a strong cooperation between countries with experience of adaptation of fuel type and countries starting their journey towards nuclear fuel diversification. Due to the situation in Ukraine and the fast transition from Russian to Western fuel design, work must be accelerated to be able to handle the situation that has arisen. The western design of fuel is hence introduced stepwise: emergent VVER-440 fuel designs for European energy security for delivery to Ukrainian power plant in year 2023, followed by a fuel design with improved economics for operation in all European plants without restrictions, and lastly next generation of fuel design. For an efficient licensing, a harmonized approach for VVER fuel licensing is required, for which cooperation between regulators, nuclear power plants and fuel supplier is necessary. This project will facilitate this cooperation. Re-establishment of manufacturing capability and licensing analyses capabilities with reliable methods and codes will also be addressed. The lifetime of the VVER plants within the European Union and Ukraine is very import to secure future energy supplies. The project will investigate how to operate the nuclear power plant for increased safety and prolongation of the life time of the VVER plants. This includes fuel inspection capabilities.

The security of supply of VVER nuclear fuel has become and will remain of vital importance in countries operating VVER-type reactors, and due to the strongly interconnected European grid network, this is also instrumental for Europe as a whole. The aim of SAVE project is to strengthen VVER fuel security of supply in Europe and Ukraine by qualifying a reliable and safer sovereign VVER-440 fuel design, by developing a fast-track licensing path and improving European capabilities for VVER-440 fuel design qualification. Through a strong European collaboration, a large qualification campaign will be performed within European test facilities to assess the performance of the new, safer and sovereign VVER-440 fuel assembly design. SAVE will prepare in-reactor qualification with mutualised LFAs (Lead Fuel Assemblies) programs, which will significantly accelerate design readiness for fuel reloads. SAVE will also define the plans to enable fully European manufacturing route and address the needs on Core Monitoring Systems, to initiate the next steps of development. To contribute to these objectives and increase the security of supply in Europe, the SAVE project is gathering 17 partners from 8 European countries, within a consortium composed of experienced and highly qualified European actors in nuclear fuel and VVER technologies, including nuclear utilities, TSOs, research entities, leading industrial actors and universities.