The Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP), a unique multinational initiative leveraging the resources and knowledge of national regulators to review new reactor designs, continues under a new organisational structure after the second Management Board meeting in Vienna, Austria on 27 June 2022.
The Management Board elected new officers, discussed the ongoing work and approved the 2022 budget. Meeting participants also adopted new communication plan and procedures, which concluded the transition from the previous framework.
The MDEP VVER design-specific Working Group (VVERWG) held its biannual meeting on 7 June 2022, and the MDEP HPR1000 design-specific Working Group (HPR1000WG) convened on 13 July 2022. The HPR1000WG also finalised technical report on internal and external hazards, and two common positions: on sump strainer and in-vessel retention strategy.
The two working groups of the programme continue to exchange information and share experience in national regulatory activities, approaches and legal framework related to new designs, with the goal to leverage resources and ensure that the VVER and HPR1000 design reviews remain safety-focused.
The next Management Board meeting is planned for 30 September 2022 in Vienna, Austria. The meeting will focus on the planning of a conference on key achievements of the MDEP since 2006, the lessons learnt, its ongoing work and future international co-operation in light of the needs of embarking countries.
