Overview of EURAD-2 Strategic Studies

The European Partnership (EP) on Radioactive Waste Management EURAD-2 builds upon the European Joint Programme EURAD and the EC project PREDIS to further implement a joint strategic programme of research & development, strategic studies and knowledge management activities at the European level, bringing together and complementing EU Member States’ programmes. This presentation shortly introduces forerunning initiatives and gives a very broad overview of the EP, its uniqueness and the activities collaboratively performed within this frame. Through the different types of works EURAD-2 provides primarily the scientific basis for implementing safe and robust RWM solutions, whilst also contributing to building stakeholder trust, public acceptance, and training and education for the next generations of the workforce. This presentation focusses on the EURAD-2 Strategic Studies (StSt) that give the opportunity to participants and expert contributors to network on methodological and strategic issues and challenges. Currently six studies each with a duration of two years are performed within EURAD-2. Their scopes address topics throughout all phases of a Radioactive Waste Management programme (predisposal to post-closure, from cradle to grave). With the aim to foster mutual understanding, capture the knowledge base, identify gaps and recommendations for future activities all EURAD-2 Strategic Studies are developing Green and White Papers. This presentation strives for all the ongoing StSts ASTRA (Alternative waste management strategies), FORSAFF (Waste Management for SMRs and Future Fuels), CLIMATE (Impact of climate change on nuclear waste management), OPTI (High-level waste repository optimisation including closure), DITOCO2030 (Next generation Digital Twins to support Optimisation, Construction and Operation of surface and subsurface RWM facilities) and DITUSC (Development and improvement of thermodynamic understanding for use in nuclear waste disposal safety case). It will provide information about the studies’ objectives, progress and results. The provision of details takes into account that some of the strategic studies have submitted an own abstract, others not. The presentation will bridge to conducted activities in EURAD-2 and give a good insight into the work of the Strategic Studies showing the achieved outputs and the look out to upcoming steps.