ESS-MYRRHA-Oskarshamn Project Symposium Takes Place in Stockholm

May 20, 2016
Lund - A project symposium on synergies and potential collaboration between European Spallation Source ERIC (ESS), the Multipurpose Hybrid Reactor for High-Tech Applications (MYRRHA) project in Belgium, and the European hub for Back-End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle studies under preparation in Oskarshamn was organised in Stockholm on 20 May 2016.

The meeting was hosted by Belgium’s Ambassador to Sweden, Her Excellency Francine Chainaye, and was attended by representatives of the three projects as well as the Belgian and the Swedish governments. The meeting aimed to support Belgium in the process of upgrading its status at ESS from a Founding Observer to full membership, to strengthen scientific cooperation between Sweden and Belgium, and to support the establishment of a strategic alliance for LFR technology through the MYRRHA and Oskarshamn projects.

Address by the Belgian government was delivered by Alberto Fernandez, FPS Economy - Nuclear Applications / Directorate-General Energy. David Edvardsson of the Ministry of Research and Higher Education presented the position of Sweden.

During the half-day program, Jim Yeck, Director General of ESS, and Allen Weeks, Head of Communications, External Relations and In-Kind at ESS, delivered a presentation on the current status of ESS and ongoing collaboration with Belgium.

The session was followed by a presentation of the Oskarshamn project delivered by Rolf Persson, Municipal Chief Executive of Oskarshman, and Bengt Karlsson, Rector of NOVA Oskarshamn.

Hamid Aït Abderrahim, Deputy Director General of the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) and Director of the MYRRHA project, informed the group about how MYRRHA contributes to the 3rd pillar of the European Strategy for Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T).

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to discuss a joint vision for Belgium and Sweden, and a successful collaboration between the three projects.

 
 
Picture 1: Family photograph of participants of the workshop hosted in Stockholm by Belgium’s Ambassador to Sweden, Her Excellency Francine Chainaye (second from right)
 
Picture 2: Jim Yeck, Director General of ESS, delivers a presentation on the current status of the ESS project.