What is MELCOR?

MELCOR is a computer code developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to model the progression of severe accidents in nuclear power plants. It simulates a wide range of phenomena, including thermal-hydraulic behavior, core degradation, fission product release and transport, and containment response. It is commonly used for safety analysis, risk assessment, and emergency planning purposes at nuclear facilities.