Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS)

The Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS) deals with technical and scientific issues relevant to criticality safety. Specific areas of interest include (but are not limited to) investigations of static and transient configurations encountered in the nuclear fuel cycle. These include fuel fabrication, transport and storage. The WPNCS's objectives are to:

• exchange information on national programmes in the area of criticality safety;
• guide, promote and co-ordinate high priority activities of common interest to the international criticality safety community, establish co-operation;
• monitor the progress of all activities and report to the NSC;
• publish databases, handbooks, and reports;
• facilitate communications within the international criticality safety community through relevant websites;
• co-ordinate the ongoing series of International Conferences on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC), to be held every four years;
• co-ordinate WPNCS activities with other working groups within the NEA and in other international frameworks to avoid duplication of activities;
• provide a technical basis for other international activities (e.g. ISO, IAEA).

WPNCS expert groups and activities

• Expert Group on Burn-up Credit
• Expert Group on Assay Data of Spent Nuclear Fuel
• Expert Group on Uncertainty Analysis for Criticality Safety Assessment
• Expert Group on Minimum Critical Values (report completed and EG closed)
• Expert Group on Source Convergence
• Expert Group on Criticality Excursions
• International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Working Group

Workshop on Criticality Safety Research Needs for Future Nuclear Systems,
September 2009, Idaho, USA

International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC'07)
28 May-1 June 2007, St. Petersburg, Russia

Related links

SFCOMPO: Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Database

NEA nuclear criticality safety publications and reports

Working area (password required)

E-mail contact: Yolanda Rugama (rugama@nea.fr)

Last updated: 20 September 2007