FISA 2025 – EURADWASTE’25 conferences on Euratom fission research and training

Project Information

FisEurad25

Grant agreement ID: 101172406

Project closed

EC signature date 25 June 2024

Start date 1 July 2024

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• Euratom Research and Training Programme (EURATOM)

Total cost

€ 608 440,00

EU contribution

€ 300 000,00

Coordinated by

NARODOWE CENTRUM BADAN JADROWYCH
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FisEurad25 (FISA 2025 – EURADWASTE’25 conferences on Euratom fission research and training)

Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The FISA EURADWASTE 2025 & SNETP Forum 2025 took place at a decisive moment for EU climate, energy and industrial policy, as Europe accelerates toward the 2040 climate target ( 90% GHG) and climate neutrality by 2050. Nuclear energy regained strategic importance for decarbonisation, energy security, technological sovereignty and industrial competitiveness. The Euratom Work Programme 2023–2025 mandated the organisation of this 11th edition during the Polish EU Presidency, providing a unique platform to review progress across reactor safety, radioactive waste management, fuel cycles, materials, radiation protection, digitalisation and education.
The project’s objectives were to:
• present achievements of ~100 Euratom projects under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe;
• identify future R&I priorities for FP10 and upcoming Euratom Work Programmes;
• strengthen cooperation among research organisations, TSOs, regulators, industry, policymakers, civil society and international bodies (IAEA, OECD/NEA);
• support new research ideas, cross-sectoral innovation and integration with digital and industrial domains;
• enhance visibility of Euratom research and societal understanding of nuclear technologies;
• empower the young generation through a full YGN Day, ENEN PhD Event & Prize, job fair and the Youth Vision Statement 2050.
The conference responded to major political developments: the SMR Industrial Alliance, the updated PINC, the emerging IPCEI on nuclear technologies, the Clean Industrial Deal, the Net Zero Industry Act, and the world’s first DGR (Onkalo) reaching operational readiness. It provided a consolidated evidence base to guide EU nuclear policy, research and investment decisions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project delivered one of the largest scientific programmes in the history of FISA EURADWASTE:
• 173 abstracts, 145 posters, 22 video posters, ~100 Euratom projects showcased.
• 2 dedicated special Issues in EPJ N: EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies Euratom Research and Training in 2025: ‘Challenges, achievements and future perspectives’ and ‘Excellence and Innovation in the Nuclear Sector’.
• 5 plenary sessions and 12 parallel technical sessions covering LTO, SMRs/AMRs, fuel cycles, materials, waste management, radiation protection, digitalisation, AI, infrastructures and SSH.
• 664 registered participants (580 onsite) from 38 countries; hybrid format with full live streaming on YouTube and Euratom4U; all recordings permanently available online.
• ENEN PhD Event & Prize: 18 PhD presentations, 3 laureates.
• Young Generation Day: 6 technical workshops, job fair (>500 interactions), poster sessions, EU policy crash course, IAEA PowerInvest simulation, waste management “serious game”, Youth Vision Statement.
• Technical study tours for 240 participants to NCBJ Świerk, INCT, Łukasiewicz Institute of Aviation and the National Radioactive Waste Repository in Różan.
• Side scientific events: SNETP Forum, Nugenia TA1/TA6, ENEN Safeguards Event, ETHC meeting.
• Cultural events supporting scientific networking: welcome cocktail with the Warsaw University of Technology Song and Dance Ensemble, gala dinner with the Artistic Ensemble of the Polish Armed Forces and Talisman Jazz Trio, Warsaw city tour.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project delivered advances across all major nuclear R&I domains:
• LTO & Structural Integrity: new fracture mechanics datasets, improved fatigue models, TRL 5–6 digital twins, advanced NDE techniques.
• Radioactive Waste Management: next-generation THMC models, new immobilisation matrices, DGR operational readiness data, SSH-based trust and ethics frameworks.
• SMRs & AMRs: 10 critical R&D actions identified (data centre, passive safety, HALEU roadmap, licensing harmonisation), first EU comparison of SMR waste streams and licensing.
• Fuel Cycles & Materials: ATF advances (Cr coatings, SiC), multi-recycling strategies, high-entropy alloys, accelerated qualification using AI and high-throughput testing.
• Digitalisation & AI: predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, robotics, digital safeguards architectures, cybersecurity concepts.
• Hybrid Energy Systems: HTGR-based industrial heat concepts, nuclear hydrogen integration, district heating and industrial applications.
• Research Infrastructures: mapping of EU gaps (irradiation, hot cells, integral test facilities, URLs), strengthened transnational access.
• SSH Integration: public trust models, ethical frameworks, Youth Vision Statement 2050.
Key needs for further uptake include: harmonised EU licensing, HALEU production, demonstration facilities, standardisation of materials and digital twins, EU-wide waste acceptance criteria, nuclear hydrogen pilots, and long-term funding for research infrastructures.