Karazin University students participate in "Euratom Research in Action and Opportunities for Europe: Strategic Autonomy of the EU and Energy Systems of the Future"

On April 4, 2023, the European Parliament hosted the conference "Euratom Research in Action and Opportunities for Europe: EU Strategic Autonomy and Future Energy Systems" in Brussels (Belgium).

The event was chaired by the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, and Director General of the EU Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Marc Lemaitre.

The conference was also attended by the Ukrainian delegation, which included, Ihor Harkusha, Head of the Department of Applied Physics and Plasma Physics at the Educational and Research Institute of the School of Physics and Technology, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ihor Hirka, Director of the Educational and Research Institute of the School of Physics and Technology, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and graduates of the Educational and Research Institute of the School of Physics and Technology Serhii Fomin, Dmytro Burdeinyi, and Hanna Skrypka.

The conference focused on small modular reactors development, including licensing, safety and non-proliferation, supervision of power grids, fuel extraction and disposal. The main thesis is that SMRs (small modular reactors) do not replace VVER–1000s (water-water power reactors), but complement them. There are already six versions of SMRs in Europe. They should become economically viable, i. e. relatively cheap and easy to operate.

The conference participants repeatedly emphasized that nuclear studies should attract students because such studies are knowledge-based. Nuclear physics is not only about nuclear power plants, but also about medicine, food processing, geology, archeology, etc.

It is important to note that non-nuclear European countries support nuclear energy development.