France to Invest €18 Million in Nuclear Fission Research Program

The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) recently announced the launch of a new scientific research program on nuclear fission. The program will run for six years, from 2026 to 2031, with a total funding of €18 million.

Financed by the French government under the "France 2030 initiative" and coordinated by the French National Research Agency (ANR), the program aims to strengthen the scientific foundation required for the development of current and future nuclear fission technologies.

Under the arrangement, approximately half of the funding will be allocated to human resources development, including doctoral and postdoctoral projects; the remaining funds will be directed toward research equipment and infrastructure, covering particle accelerators, experimental reactors, and radiochemistry laboratories, among others.

The program will pursue research combining fundamental science with engineering applications, with expected outcomes serving to enhance the safety and operational efficiency of nuclear facilities, optimize the management of radioactive materials and nuclear waste, and provide support for the development of next-generation reactors.

Research areas will span nuclear physics, chemistry, radiochemistry, materials science, thermodynamics, and digital modeling, among others. CNRS stated that the program aims to strengthen France's scientific capabilities in the nuclear field and its "scientific sovereignty," while consolidating the country's prominent position in global nuclear fission research.

The "France 2030 initiative" is a large-scale investment plan launched by France targeting strategic industries and key technology sectors, with a total budget of €54 billion, covering multiple stages from fundamental research to industrial production.