Mandate

The main mission of the Working Group on Fuel Safety (WGFS) is to advance the current understanding and address safety issues related to fuel safety.

The specific mandate is as follows:

The group will report to the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI), assist the committee with its work and carry out a programme of work approved by the CSNI.
Assess the technical basis for current safety criteria and their applicability to high burn-up (above 50 MWd/kg) and to new fuel designs and materials. The assessment will focus on anticipated transients and postulated accident conditions. Information relevant to fuel performance under normal operating conditions will be considered only to the extent necessary to assess the safety behaviour.
Determine needs and priorities for future research programmes in the area of fuel safety behaviour, with the aim of understanding and adequately modelling key phenomena and of quantifying safety margins.
Review from a safety point of view the adequacy of fuel codes and methodologies used for different core assessments as related to high burn-up fuel. Cores with different fuel assembly designs and with MOX fuel are to be considered. Neutronic, thermal-hydraulic and materials aspects are considered as they relate to core safety assessment.
Provide a forum where safety-relevant fuel issues emerging from operating experience and research work can be addressed and resolved in an effective manner.

The group will aim to facilitate international convergence on fuel safety issues, including experimental approaches, interpretation and use of the experimental data or of other relevant information.

The group will perform its activities mainly through organising topical meetings on specific subjects or through small task forces dedicated to covering specific programme items.

Working Group on Fuel Safety (WGFS)

Mandate

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