1. General status of nuclear power in Eastern Europe

1.1 Cooperation programs

The accident at Chernobyl on April 26, 1986 brutally called into question the safety of Soviet-designed reactors. In parallel with the new political situation in Eastern European countries and their gradual move towards a market economy, the nuclear safety situation was assessed and improvements initiated. Numerous cooperation and assistance programs were organized.

In France, the Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) has been involved in the safety analysis of these reactors since 1989, notably as part of the European Commission's PHARE and TACIS programs.

The PHARE program (Poland, Hungary: assistance with restructuring economies), launched in 1989, includes a nuclear energy component, mainly...