Core Melt meaning

core melt describes a severe accident at a nuclear reactor in which the reactor core overheats and partially or completely melts. In legal practice it is a descriptive term (often used with “meltdown” or “severe accident”), not one generally defined in UK or Irish legislation or case law. Its relevance is regulatory, contractual and insurance‑related. In Great Britain, core‑melt scenarios are addressed in nuclear site licence conditions and safety cases overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, and inform emergency planning under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 (REPPIR). A core melt with off‑site consequences may engage the strict‑liability regime for nuclear damage under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, and can trigger environmental permitting and radiological protection duties. Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Northern Ireland operates equivalent REPPIR‑based emergency planning. Ireland has no nuclear power reactors, but the term is used in radiological protection and cross‑border emergency arrangements administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Radiological Protection) under Euratom‑derived legislation. In contracts, “core melt” commonly appears in severe‑accident design criteria, force‑majeure clauses, and nuclear liability and insurance provisions addressing property damage, business interruption and third‑party claims.