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Inter-Regional, collaborative, nuclear desalination studies By France and Tunisia S. Nisan1, H, Ben Kraiem2, Directorate of Nuclear Energy (DEN) Reactor Studies Department (DER) Innovative Reactor Studies Service (SERI), CEA/CEN Cadarache, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance, (France) National Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (CNSTN) BP n�204 1080 Tunis-Cedex This paper summarises our on-going investigations on the elaboration of a strategy for the possible application of nuclear energy for sea water desalination in a North African country such as Tunisia. These investigations are being made as part of bilateral collaborations between France and Tunisia, under the aegis of the IAEA Inter Regional Project on Nuclear Desalination . Rather than limiting the work to conventional generic studies, the basic aim of the work undertaken is to estimate the realistic costs for nuclear desalination. Investigations therefore include the different options for the technical feasibility and the most competitive production of electricity and/or potable water through sea water desalination for a specific site in Tunisia. Calculations are being made for existing, as well as innovative nuclear reactors currently being developed by EU industrials and adapted for desalination in the context of the EURODESAL project [1]. To show the feasibility in given site specific conditions, several work packages have been elaborated whose objectives, strategy and the results will be discussed in the full paper: a detailed assessment of the planning, needs and strategies for the energy water production mix; use of conventional and innovative coupling schemes for integrated nuclear desalination systems, a safety assessment of the specific transients of coupled systems such as the ingress of sea water into the secondary circuit, adequacy of the containment barriers against all radioactive contamination, the loss of load etc., a detailed economic assessment of the ensemble, including a comparison with other energy sources and sustainability studies in local conditions. It is expected that final results will permit the elaboration of detailed technical specifications for the full scale integrated designs, fully satisfying the local conditions of their possible deployment in Tunisia. [1]S. Nisan et al (2002) �EURODESAL : An international Project for Nuclear Sea Water Desalination Studies with Innovative Nuclear Reactor Concepts�