Safety of nuclear power; the case for I&C and HF engineering

The safety of nuclear power builds on many scientific and technical areas of which instrumentation and control (I&C) and human factors (HF) have shown to be very important. The OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP) has been involved in these two areas for many years in their mantechnologyorganisation (MTO) research. In the view of a revival of nuclear power for electricity generation presently taking place, the MTO research and development (R&D) at HRP is growing in importance. The present paper discusses some of the challenges that can be seen in the fields of I&C and HF engineering and it concludes by stressing the importance for HRP to engage in dialogues with their signatories on needs and opportunities for new research in the MTO area. Such needs and opportunities should be integrated in the strategic considerations for the next three year programme of HRP that now is in its planning stage.