The EVEREST project marked an important milestone with its first Annual Consortium Meeting, held on 7–9 September 2025 in Budapest. Hosted by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), the meeting brought together 33 participants from 15 partner institutions, alongside members of the External Expert Advisory Board.
Over three days, partners reviewed the project’s first year of progress, shared results, and set the course for year two. Since its official launch in September 2024, EVEREST has successfully delivered initial project results to the European Commission, gathered extensive data from nuclear power plants and research reactors, and launched both conventional and advanced modelling activities. Encouragingly, the first results are already emerging, laying a solid foundation for the next phase.
The meeting venue offered a unique context: BME’s Training Reactor, a 100 kW light-water moderated and cooled facility first commissioned in 1971. Beyond serving as a key training ground for engineers and physicists, the reactor also supports research projects, isotope production, and irradiation experiments. Its role in education, research, and safety training made it a symbolic and fitting backdrop for EVEREST’s discussions.
Looking ahead, year two will be critical for the project, with the first validation results expected. These will directly shape the design of new experiments at European research reactors, further strengthening the project’s contributions to nuclear safety and efficiency.
EVEREST partners will also continue engaging with students, regulators, and utilities, ensuring the transfer of knowledge and the long-term preservation of nuclear safety expertise. The next consortium meeting is already set for Ljubljana in 2026, where JSI will host the partners.
A big thank you goes to all participants for their commitment and collaboration, together, we are driving innovation for safer, more sustainable energy.
