Category: IAEA

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said that the operator of Units 1 and 2 of the Penly Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in France has demonstrated a commitment to operational safety. The team also encouraged the operator to continue improvements in areas such as the implementation of maintenance work.

The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) concluded an 18-day mission to the Penly NPP on 21 September. The mission, which focused on two of the plant’s units, was carried out at the request of the Government of France.

OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by independently assessing safety performance against the IAEA’s safety standards by proposing recommendations and, where appropriate, suggestions for improvement. Safety is an essential element during commissioning and the subsequent safe operation of a nuclear power plant.

The plant, owned by the Electricity de France (EDF), is located close to the city of Dieppe in Normandy, 255 kilometres from Paris. Unit 1 started commercial operation in 1990, and Unit 2 in 1992. The two 1300 megawatt electrical (MW(e)) pressurized water reactors are amongst 56 operating nuclear power reactors in France. Nuclear power currently contributes about 68 per cent of the country’s electricity. This figure is expected to rise as France is constructing an additional reactor and plans to construct at least six more.

The 13-member team comprised experts from Canada, China, Slovakia, Germany, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, as well as two IAEA officials.

“We observed that the plant’s senior leadership team held safety as a priority and pushed for improvement in all areas,” said team leader John Duguid, Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA. “The team also proposed areas in which improvements can be made to further elevate the plant’s safety performance.”

The team identified good practices to be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including:

• The updated plant information project (CONNECT) installed at the plant provides real time access to information and effective support to different function groups. This assists in operator monitoring, remote requests for technical assistance and management of emergent work.
• The plant installed a remote monitoring capability on safety critical seawater piping that helps in avoiding biofouling through optimising chemical treatment.
• The plant developed and installed a system for monitoring sedimentation in the cooling water intake channel.

The mission also provided recommendations and suggestions to further improve operational safety, including that:

• The plant should improve the implementation of processes related to the testing of the plants installed systems.
• The plant should improve its preparation, control and implementation of maintenance activities to ensure equipment reliability and personnel safety.
• The plant should consider improving the quality and planning of its periodic testing.

“The OSART mission enabled an in-depth assessment of the site and an enriching sharing of the best global practices thanks to the team’s combined expertise,” said François Valmage, Executive Site Manager of Unit 1 and 2 of Penly NPP. “The recommendations and suggestions will help us ensure a continuous improvement of the plant’s operational safety.”

The team provided a draft report of the mission to the plant management. They will have the opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. These comments will be reviewed by the IAEA and the final report will be submitted to the Government of France within three months. France intends to make the report public.

Background

General information about OSART missions can be found on the IAEA website. An OSART mission is designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. It is not a regulatory inspection, nor is it a design review or a substitute for an exhaustive assessment of the plant’s overall safety status.

Follow up missions are standard components of the OSART programme and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission.

The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements, and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission said that Greece has established a good basis to ensure and enhance the safety of radioactive waste management. The review identified areas for additional efforts, for example, improving stakeholder involvement and securing adequate human resources for the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.

The Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) was carried out at the request of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) and the review team concluded the eight day mission to Greece on 18 September.

Greece has no nuclear power plants and the 5 MW Greek Research Reactor-1 (GRR-1) located at the National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos” (NCSR “D”) is currently licensed for extended shutdown.

Radioactive waste in the country stems from the past operation of the research reactor and from industrial, research and medical applications. Spent and irradiated fuel from GRR-1 was returned to the country of origin. No plans for future management of spent fuel are foreseen. Further waste will arise from the decommissioning of GRR-1 and other facilities such as cyclotrons and waste management facilities. There is no disposal facility in Greece and radioactive waste is currently stored at an interim storage facility operated by NCSR “D” and at other licensees’ sites. Based on the classification of radioactive waste, Greece is considering engineered near-surface and borehole disposal facilities.

The ARTEMIS review team comprised four senior experts from Denmark, France, Portugal, and Sweden as well as three IAEA staff members. An observer from the European Commission also attended the mission. During the mission, the review team engaged in a series of exchanges with representatives of the EEAE and NCSR “D” to evaluate the Greek national policy and programme for executing the country’s obligations for safe and sustainable radioactive waste management. The ARTEMIS review team considered the findings from a previous IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) in 2012 and the follow-up review in 2017. In addition, the ARTEMIS review team visited GRR-1 and the interim storage facility at the NCSR “D” site.

ARTEMIS reviews provide independent expert assessments using teams of international specialist peer reviewers convened by the IAEA. They can cover all aspects and topics related to managing radioactive waste and spent fuel, decommissioning and remediation. Reviews are based on the IAEA Safety Standards, technical guidance, and international good practices.

“Greece has developed a national programme specifying central actions for the safe management of radioactive waste, in particular for safe predisposal management” said ARTEMIS team leader David Ulfbeck, Senior Advisor of the Danish Health Authority. “Implementation of planned actions in the National Programme will require extensive efforts, but we are confident that Greece is in a good position to undertake this task”.

The ARTEMIS review team identified recommendations and suggestions to improve the management of radioactive waste in Greece, including:

• The Government should develop a process for the inclusion of interested parties in decision making for the site selection of disposal facilities outside the NCSR “D” site prior to the issuance of the feasibility license.
• NCSR “D” should take measures to ensure the retention of knowledge and information and provide human resources with sufficient expertise, training and skills to implement actions in the national programme.
• EEAE should consider strengthening the national inventory so that it covers all radioactive waste in Greece together with waste anticipated to arise in the future.

“We are grateful that the review team recognized our persistent efforts and progress in building our national arrangements. We recognize that a number of challenges remain, and we are fully committed to addressing the recommendations and suggestions we received from the review team,” said Christos Housiadas, Chairman of the EEAE.

“In spite of some of the challenges highlighted during the review mission I am confident that recommended improvements related to the safe management of radioactive waste will be considered and implemented,” added Hildegarde Vandenhove, Director of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety.

The final report from the review will be provided to the Government of Greece in two months.

About ARTEMIS

ARTEMIS is an integrated expert review service for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and remediation programmes. This service is intended for facility operators and organizations responsible for radioactive waste management, as well as for regulators, national policymakers and other decision-makers.

The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements, and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. IAEA documents, such as Nuclear Energy Series publications, are also included in the review basis. They include practical examples to be used by owners and operators of utilities, implementing organizations, academia, and government officials in Member States, among others.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said the operator of two research reactors in the Islamic Republic of Iran has improved safety and implemented significant upgrades to modernize the reactor’s systems and components in recent years. The team also provided recommendations and suggestions for further enhancement of the operational organizational structure, safety documents and operational safety programmes.

The Integrated Safety Assessment for Research Reactors (INSARR) team concluded an eight-day mission today to assess the safety of the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) and Heavy Water Zero Power Reactor (HWZPR) research reactors in Iran against IAEA safety standards. The mission was conducted at the request of the government of Iran and hosted by the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Reactor and Nuclear Safety Research School, the operator of the two research reactors.

The five-member team comprised experts from Argentina, China and Jordan, as well as two IAEA officials. The team reviewed organizational and management aspects as well as technical areas including safety analysis, operation and maintenance programmes, radiation protection, and safety of modifications and experiments. The team visited the two reactors and associated facilities and met with NSTRI officials.

The MNSR and HWZPR research reactors are located in Esfahan, roughly 450 kilometres south of the capital Tehran. The 30 kilowatt (kW) MNSR was first commissioned in 1994 and is utilized mainly for education and training and neutron activation analysis – a method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of elements. Recently the facility was modified to include the installation of two vertical beam tubes for film-based neutron radiography – used to analyse the structure of a sample – as well as calibration of neutron detectors, and for prompt gamma activation analysis to measure elements.

The HWZPR was first commissioned in 1996, with a maximum rated power of 100 W and a normal operating power 10 W, and is utilized mainly for education and training programmes, research and development and applied nuclear science.

“NSTRI has shown a commitment to safety by requesting an IAEA INSARR mission”, said David Sears, INSARR team leader and senior safety officer of the IAEA’s Research Reactor Safety Section. “The recent facility modifications and safety enhancements should extend the service life and utilization of the reactors. The operating organization should continue improvements, including revision and updating of safety documents and operating procedures, to maintain continued safe operation of the facility in accordance with the IAEA safety standards”.

The IAEA team noted the effective implementation of refurbishment and upgrades to enhance operational safety performance, ageing management, and procedures for response to abnormal situations. It also observed improvement in the effectiveness of training and maintenance programmes.

The mission also made recommendations and suggestions for improvements, including:

• Enhancing the operational organizational structure by better clarifying the roles and responsibilities for safety and ensuring the independence of the safety committee from the reactor management.
• Reviewing and revising the procedures for modification of safety systems and components, as well as of implementation of new experiments.
• Reviewing and revising the operation and maintenance procedures in accordance with research reactor manufacturer recommendations, design requirements and operating experience feedback.

“We made a lot of efforts to ensure a high level of safety. I am glad to see that noted in this mission” said Dr. Seyed Amir Hossein Feghhi, the head of NSTRI. “We are grateful to the mission experts for their professional and valuable support as we are strive for continual safety improvement”.

NSTRI has indicated that they will request a follow-up INSARR mission in 2027.

About INSARR Missions

INSARR missions are an IAEA peer review service, conducted at the request of a Member State, to assess and evaluate the safety of research reactors based on IAEA safety standards. Follow-up missions are standard components of the INSARR programme and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission. General information about INSARR missions can be found on the IAEA Website.

The IAEA Safety Standards provide a robust framework of fundamental principles, requirements, and guidance to ensure safety. They reflect an international consensus and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed two collaboration agreements with GE HealthCare today as part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen cancer diagnosis and treatment capacity in low- and middle-income countries. GE HealthCare has agreed to contribute $50 000 of in-kind training as well as practical arrangements to further support the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative to combat a disease that kills millions of people every year.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who launched Rays of Hope in early 2022, signed an extension of an in-kind contribution for clinical education in developing countries with GE HealthCare President and CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa Rob Walton. This agreement builds upon an existing successful collaboration launched in 2022. Director General Grossi also signed a three-year practical arrangement with GE HealthCare to strengthen cooperation in the area of cancer control in low-and middle-income countries in the framework of Rays of Hope.

The documents were signed at the IAEA office in New York on the side-lines of the seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly, which Director General Grossi is attending

These collaborations are the latest in a series of IAEA agreements with key stakeholders – both in the public and private sector – to help amplify the Agency’s work on tackling a major cancer care gap in many countries, where people often die from the disease because they lack access to potentially life-saving diagnostic and therapeutic infrastructure.

“I’m very encouraged by the progress we are already seeing under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative and the considerable interest it is attracting, with several leading companies such as GE HealthCare cooperating with us to address a growing cancer burden around the world,” Director General Grossi said. “I’m grateful for their support, which will help save lives.”

“The shortage of healthcare workers is an omnipresent concern. This is particularly true for oncology in developing countries, where access to care, innovation and know-how need to be urgently improved. We are very proud to support the IAEA in its Rays of Hope initiative, by making clinical training available to nuclear medicine and radiology practitioners from low- and middle-income countries,” said Rob Walton, President and CEO EMEA, GE HealthCare. “We are grateful for and excited about the launch of our broader collaboration on Rays of Hope today.”

Under the agreed practical arrangements, the IAEA and GE HealthCare will continue to work together on enhancing the capacities of developing countries to establish or strengthen safe and effective radiation medicine capabilities for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In particular, the parties intend to cooperate in awareness raising, education and training, and research and knowledge sharing.

Rays of Hope builds on the IAEA’s six decades of experience and expertise in nuclear science to diagnose and treat different types of tumours. It aims to mobilize financial resources and partners and to galvanize political will to step up the fight against a scourge killing many who could have been successfully treated with modern medical technology.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has joined forces with Siemens Healthineers to strengthen cancer diagnosis and treatment capacity in low- and middle-income countries, harnessing each other’s technical expertise in new ways to combat the rising global burden of this disease that kills millions of people every year.  

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Siemens Healthineers CEO Bernd Montag signed a practical arrangement agreement to support low- and middle-income countries in establishing and strengthening safe and effective radiation medicine for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

The agreement will be carried out under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative and is part of the ambition of Siemens Healthineers and its Varian oncology business to increase access to quality healthcare for everyone, no matter where they live. Both initiatives seek to further the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3, whose aims include reducing by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2030.

“I’m very encouraged by the progress we are already seeing under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative and the considerable interest it is attracting, with leading companies such as Siemens Healthineers cooperating with us to address a growing global cancer burden,” Director General Grossi said. “I’m very grateful for their support, which will help save lives.”

Siemens Healthineers and its Varian oncology business have a decades-long history of cooperation with the IAEA, which works to tackle a cancer care gap in many countries where people often die of the disease because they lack access to potentially life-saving nuclear medicine, diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy infrastructure.

“With our product and service portfolio spanning screening, diagnosis and therapy, Siemens Healthineers is uniquely positioned to support along the entire cancer pathway. This makes us a strong partner in expanding quality healthcare for everyone, everywhere,” Siemens Healthineers CEO Bernd Montag said.

This cooperation represents a continued significant shift in how the IAEA works with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors. It goes beyond providing equipment and includes broader strategies on early detection and treatment of cancer.

Included in the scope of the agreement, the parties intend to cooperate in raising awareness about the importance of radiation medicine in diagnosing and treating cancer. It also calls for collaboration in the areas of education, training research and knowledge sharing.

Rays of Hope builds on the IAEA’s six decades of experience and expertise in nuclear science to diagnose and treat different types of tumours. It aims to mobilize financial resources and partners and to galvanize political will to step up the fight against a scourge killing many who could have been successfully treated with modern medical technology.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Japan signed an agreement today setting out the full scope of the Agency’s comprehensive and continuous safety review of the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), paving the way for decades of independent monitoring, sampling and analysis at the site and at sea.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, nearly four weeks after the discharge of the water treated through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) began. The IAEA has been reviewing the safety of Japan’s plan on how to handle the treated water since it was first announced in 2021 and today’s agreement focuses on the Agency’s long-term activities during the discharge itself.

It identifies five main areas of the IAEA’s safety review work: 1) monitoring and assessment, focused on the protection of people and the environment; 2) the IAEA’s presence in Japan and at the FDNPS, including for conducting onsite analysis; 3) regular Agency review missions; 4) corroboration of Japan’s source and environmental monitoring based on independent sampling and analysis; and 5) outreach and awareness activities, including sharing key information with the public.

These activities will enable the IAEA to check that the relevant international safety standards are constantly applied during the discharge, backed up with real-time and other monitoring data on the Agency’s website. In July, Director General Grossi established an IAEA office at the FDNPS.

“Today’s agreement sets the broad parameters for the IAEA’s permanent presence at the site to implement the monitoring, corroboration and assessment activities that are indispensable for transparency and for building confidence – both in Japan and abroad – that the discharge will neither harm people nor the environment,” Director General Grossi said.

“We will stay and carry out our technical work until the last drop of the treated water has been safely discharged into the sea,” he said. “Through its independent and scientific work, the IAEA will be able to provide assurances to people around the world that the discharge will cause no harm.”

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) – Fukushima Daiichi’s operator – on 24 August started discharging the ALPS treated water stored at the site. To bring the tritium levels below operational limits, the water is also diluted before it is discharged.

The Agency’s two year detailed safety review of Japan’s plan had previously concluded that the approach and activities for the discharge are consistent with relevant international safety standards and would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.

Earlier this month, the IAEA’s first independent sampling and analysis of seawater near FDNPS since the discharge started also confirmed that the tritium levels were below Japan’s operational limits.

Today’s agreement – which formalizes some activities that are already being implemented – comes just over two years after the IAEA and Japan signed the Terms of Reference for the IAEA’s assistance to Japan in reviewing the safety aspects of the handling of the ALPS treated water, and the Agency’s establishment of a Task Force for this purpose.

“As today’s Memorandum of Cooperation demonstrates, the IAEA’s work is far from over. In some respects, with last month’s start of the discharge, it is only now beginning,” Director General Grossi said.