Participants of the WPRS Benchmarks Workshops event held from 30 June to 4 July 2025

The annual Benchmarks Workshops of the NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and Uncertainty Analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS) will take place from 11 to 15 May 2026 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Hosted by McMaster’s Nuclear Operations & Facilities and Department of Engineering Physics, the event will bring together experts from around the world to advance international benchmarking efforts for reactor systems. The event will be supported by the Safety Licensing Programme of Conexus Nuclear Inc. (formerly CANDU Owners Group).  

Participants will meet in parallel tracks to review progress in WPRS benchmark activities across neutronics, thermal-hydraulics and multiphysics modelling. These activities cover a wide range of reactor concepts, including light-water reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, sodium- and lead-cooled fast reactors, and molten-salt reactors. The workshops play a key role in fostering rigorous verification, validation and uncertainty quantification practices, which are essential for ensuring the safety and reliability of nuclear systems. The event also includes several topical sessions serving as an ideal forum for experts to exchange views on state-of-the art methods and issues regarding reactor systems.

The 2026 edition will also feature the fourth NEA International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS), continuing its mission to train the next generation of experts in advanced modelling and simulation techniques with a focus on single- and multiphysics issues of light-water reactors and light-water small modular reactors. Registrations for SINUS will close on 23 January 2026.

A detailed agenda for the WPRS Benchmarks event will be published soon, and registrations will open in the coming weeks.

The WPRS Benchmarks Workshops continue to serve as a hub for dialogue and collaboration, driving progress in modelling and simulation for current and future reactor technologies.