atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2019

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atw Vol. 64 (2019) | Issue 4 ı April 188 INSIDE NUCLEAR WITH NUCNET The Key Role of the IAEA’s Integrated Regulatory Review Service in Improving Nuclear Safety The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responding to member state needs and making the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) more effective and efficient, David Senior, head of the agency’s regulatory activities section, and Hilaire Mansoux, head of the regulatory infrastructure and transport safety section, told NucNet in an interview. Feedback from member states over the past five years has been used in the development of updated IRRS guidelines on the preparation and conduct of missions, which will be published soon and see the implementation of further improvements to the service The IRRS helps IAEA member states strengthen and improve their national regulatory framework and infrastructure for nuclear, radiation, radioactive waste and transport safety. In line with other safety related peer review services offered by the IAEA, the IRRS supports member states in applying IAEA safety standards. The IRRS began in 2006, when the IAEA integrated several existing regulatory review services. IRRS teams evaluate a state’s regulatory infrastructure for safety against IAEA safety standards, which provide the fundamental principles, requirements and guidance to ensure nuclear safety. The standards serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment and contribute to a harmonised high level of safety worldwide. The teams compile their findings in reports that provide recommendations and suggestions for improvement, and note good practices that can be adapted for use elsewhere internationally to strengthen safety. Mission reports describe the effectiveness of the regulatory oversight of nuclear, radiation, radioactive waste and transport safety and highlight how it can be further strengthened. States that have requested an IRRS mission prepare by conducting a “self-assessment” using an IAEA-developed methodology and software tool. During preparations, the IAEA and the host country meet to agree on the scope of the mission, including by defining which regulated facilities and activities will be reviewed. In October 2018 the IRRS held its 100 th mission, to Hungary, where experts carried out an eight-day follow-up mission to review the country’s implementation of recommendations and suggestions made during a 2015 visit. According to Mr Senior and Mr Mansoux, the service helps member states by identifying opportunities for improvement, but also allows countries to learn from one another because the results of missions are shared through mission reports and “lessons learned” workshops. By judging the mission against IAEA safety standards, the service has brought about greater harmonisation of regulatory practices amongst member states. The agency sees the informal exchange of experience between expert reviewers and regulatory staff across the world as another valuable learning opportunity. The IRRS carries out from nine to 12 missions a year and is being used increasingly by countries that do not have a commercial nuclear power programme but are thinking about starting one. The service has established itself as the “preferred choice” for EU member states who must complete a peer review every 10 years to comply with the bloc’s nuclear safety directive, Mr Senior and Mr Mansoux told NucNet In response to requests from member states, the IAEA can also offer combined IRRS and Artemis missions. Artemis is the Agency’s integrated expert peer review service for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and remediation programmes. It is intended for facility operators and organisations responsible for radioactive waste management, and for regulators, national policy and other decision-makers. The first combined IRRS-Artemis mission was recently conducted in Spain. The combined mission approach option aims to exploit the synergies between the respective reviews. The IRRS is also available to countries that do not have commercial nuclear power and do not have plans to introduce it. The service helps them regulate the use of radiation sources in industry, medicine, agriculture and research. Mr Senior said: “High standards of nuclear safety can be achieved through a culture of continuous improvement, and all countries – including those with extensive experience – can use the IRRS to improve and demonstrate closer alignment of their national arrangements with IAEA safety standards.” “In short, all countries need to regulate nuclear and radiation safety, and the IRRS programme helps them do so in line with its safety standards,” he said.Some countries have a well-established regulatory infrastructure, based on decades of experience, to regulate all types of installations and activities. Other countries are just establishing a legal and regulatory framework for safety. “Regardless of the approach to nuclear regulation and the maturity of the arrangements in each country, there is always room for improvement,” Mr Mansoux said The IAEA safety standards are continuously evolving to reflect developments including feedback from the IRRS missions, and it is a continuous process to ensure that the national regulatory infrastructure is in line with the standards. Challenges remain, said Mr Senior and Mr Mansoux, particularly those associated with ensuring adequate financial and human resources, and the independence of the regulatory body. NucNet was speaking to David Senior, head of the IAEA’s regulatory activities section, and Hilaire Mansoux, head of the regulatory infrastructure and transport safety section. Author NucNet The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency Editor responsible for this story: Kamen Kraev Avenue des Arts 56 1000 Brussels, Belgium www.nucnet.org Inside Nuclear with NucNet The Key Role of the IAEA’s Integrated Regulatory Review Service in Improving Nuclear Safety
atw Vol. 64 (2019) | Issue 4 ı April Notes Phase-Out: Nuclear Before Coal – Almost Half of Germans Think This Is a Mistake The customer portal Verivox released the results of their survey, in which they asked if it was a mistake by politics in Germany to phase-out nuclear before coal. The German coal phase-out is envisaged for 2038, while the nuclear phase-out is scheduled until 2022. Almost half of Germans (44.1 %) considers this order to be a “To reach the climate goals, Germany has decided to phase-out coal. Do you think it was a mistake by politics to phase-out nuclear first?” climate policy mistake. On the other hand, 49 per cent of the respondents consider the preferred nuclear phase-out to be the right choice. Apparently, they assess the potential hazards of nuclear power higher than the climate load associated with coal-fired power generation. For further details please contact: Nicolas Wendler DAtF Robert-Koch-Platz 4 10115 Berlin Germany E-mail: presse@ kernenergie.de www.kernenergie.de DATF EDITORIAL NOTES 189 All respondents Yes, in Any Case Rather Yes Undecided Rather No No, in No Way 29 % 15 % 6 % 17 % 33 % Responses by age group 18-29 24 % 18 % 9 % 23 % 26 % 30-39 31 % 10 % 5 % 20 % 34 % 40-49 29 % 18 % 6 % 14 % 34 % 50-64 28 % 14 % 8 % 16 % 35 % 65+ 31 % 16 % 5 % 15 % 33 % Yes, in Any Case Rather Yes Undecided Rather No No, in No Way Source: Verivox DAtF Notes
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atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2019

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