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Framatome and Inria partner to accelerate nuclear plant safety studies

Framatome, an international leader in nuclear energy, and Inria, the French national institute for research in digital science and technology announced today they have entered a strategic partnership to accelerate studies for long-term advancements and enhanced safety of operations for the nuclear industry.

Framatome and Inria will utilize complementary skills in the integration of digital innovations to fast-track efforts to apply innovative safety approaches to nuclear plants.

“We are pleased to partner with Inria and to continue investing in research for the advancement of reliable, low-carbon energy generation,” said Alexis Marincic, senior executive vice president, Engineering & Design Authority, Framatome. “Inria’s diverse innovation pathways inspire scientific, digital and engineering excellence which makes them an excellent partner as we transform digital solutions for the future.”

The partnership between Framatome and Inria will include regular collaborations and exchanges on research programs, industry challenges and ad hoc training. Identified research themes include digital security, cybersecurity, embedded implementation of complex metamodels, industrial use cases, quantum computing, data science and artificial intelligence.

Bruno Sportisse, Chairman and CEO of Inria added, “this strategic agreement with Framatome is part of our proactive approach to the French industrial framework in areas identified as critical. The partnership with Framatome covers all fields: from the identification of research topics inspired by industrial cases to technological development and the creation of technological start-ups.”

The assembly of the first joint Inria Challenge is currently underway with the implementation of a complex metamodel concentrating on numerical simulations. This vital aspect of nuclear plant designs allows experts to define and predict the evolution of scenarios with potential impact on the safety of the reactor and its environment. The partnership between Framatome and Inria will set up joint research teams to address the data system’s capacity and the uncertainties associated with modeling.

About Framatome

Framatome is an international leader in nuclear energy recognized for its innovative solutions and value added technologies for the global nuclear fleet. With worldwide expertise and a proven track record for reliability and performance, the company designs, services and installs components, fuel, and instrumentation and control systems for nuclear power plants. Its more than 15,000 employees work every day to help Framatome’s customers supply ever cleaner, safer and more economical low-carbon energy.

Framatome is owned by the EDF Group (75.5%), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI – 19.5%) and Assystem (5%).

Source: Framatome