NKS (Nordic Nuclear Safety Research) is a scientific cooperation program in nuclear safety, including emergency preparedness and radiation protection. It is an informal forum, serving as an umbrella for Nordic initiatives and interests. Its purpose is to carry out joint activities producing seminars, exercises, scientific articles, technical reports, manuals, recommendations, and other types of reference material. This material offers guidance to concerned ministries, authorities, research establishments and enterprises in the nuclear field in their decision-making.

The work is divided into two main branches:

NKS-R        Reactor Safety including Decommissioning and Radioactive Waste

NKS-B        Emergency Preparedness including Radioecology and Emergency Preparedness Related Information and Communication Issues

See the R or B program, respectively, for details on activities, plans and results. 

Normally, only activities of interest to financing organizations and other end-users are carried out. The results should be practical and directly applicable. The main financiers are:

· The Danish Emergency Management Agency
· The Finnish Ministry for Trade and Industry
· The Icelandic Radiation Protection Institute
· The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority
· The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate
· The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority

Together with support from a number of additional financiers in the nuclear field, the total NKS budget for 2005 is some €1,0 million (DKK 7,5 million). To this should be added contributions in kind by participating organizations, worth approximately another €0,9 million (DKK 6,5 million), without which this program would not be possible. 

The region in question is the five Nordic countries, i.e., Denmark (including the Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. With a total population of some 24 million people, and a common cultural and historic heritage, the Nordic countries have cooperated in the field of nuclear safety for approximately half a century. Informal networks for exchange of information have developed throughout the years, strengthening the region’s potential for fast, coordinated and adequate response to nuclear threats, incidents and accidents. NKS has served well as a platform for such activities. 

This Nordic interest in cooperation and pooling of resources via NKS is due to the large number of nuclear installations and activities in the region. There are four nuclear power reactors in operation in Finland, and one (Olkiluoto 3) is under construction. Sweden has 12 nuclear power reactors. Of these, 10 will continue operation, one has been permanently shut down (Barsebäck 1), and one will be permanently shut down on May 31, 2005 (Barsebäck 2). Preparations are being made to decommission the Barsebäck reactors. There are research reactors in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The three Danish reactors have been closed and decommissioning work has started. The ones in Finland and Norway are still operational. The two Swedish ones will be shut down shortly and face decommissioning. In Sweden there is also a nuclear fuel production plant in operation. All five Nordic countries have interim storages for radioactive waste. Finland, Norway and Sweden have final repositories in operation for low and medium level waste. Finland and Sweden conduct research programs and studies to make possible a future construction of final repositories for spent fuel. Apart from nuclear installations in the Nordic countries, there are commercial, research and naval nuclear reactors and other nuclear installations in surrounding eastern and western countries.

Therefore, NKS with its program for nuclear safety including radioactive waste, environmental issues, emergency preparedness, radiation protection and information is of common interest to all five Nordic countries. The hallmark of NKS is a spirit of sharing – all results are available free of charge, not only to the NKS family but worldwide. When quoting NKS material, a reference to the source will be appreciated.

NKS Secretariat

Box 49

DK - 4000 Roskilde

Phone +45 4677 4045

Fax +45 4677 4046

In Nordic