The IAEA: The International Centre of Fusion Energy past, present and future

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

(As prepared for delivery)

Ladies and gentlemen,

It’s a pleasure to open the IAEA’s Fusion Energy Conference and to be back here in the United Kingdom, host of the second Fusion Energy Conference in 1965, the 10th in 1984 and the 29th, today in 2023.

It is good to be here in this home of so many important fusion endeavours: Mast Upgrade, STEP, JET, RACE, Tokamak Energy, First Light Fusion and General Fusion, to name a few.

Before I begin my remarks, let me wish a happy 40th anniversary to JET, the first tritium experiment in Europe, breaker of scientific records, producer of generations of accomplished scientists and engineers, and a true magnet for international collaboration.

Big science needs collaboration and it doesn’t get much bigger than fusion energy. In fusion energy, it doesn’t get bigger than the IAEA Fusion Energy Conference.  

Since the early 1960s, this conference has been the marker of many milestones; a place where Nobel prize winners, inventors and scientists have come to unveil their achievements, often months and years in the making. For decades, the Fusion Energy Conference has been setting the direction of fusion research – from the shift to the tokamak after the 1968 conference to the discovery of H-mode after the 1982 conference.

I hear many in the fusion community call the Fusion Energy Conference simply “the IAEA”. I don’t want to spoil the party, but I have to tell you…there are a few other things the IAEA does too.

And that is a good thing because it gives us many years of experience, not only bringing scientists and engineers together, but also bringing policy makers, regulators, investors and other key stakeholders to the table.

This year’s FEC has 2,000 participants and our always-evolving programme includes a session on the “Pathways to Fusion” – which brings together both public and private sector developments.

Fusion is making progress. Progress is being made at ITER. It is being made here in the UK and all around the world, in Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia, and the USA. Since the last Fusion Energy Conference, in 2021, there have been momentous achievements in the field. Today you will hear about: JET’s world energy record; NIF’s scientific energy gain; MIT and Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ high-temperature superconducting magnet; and EAST’s long-pulse operation. Meanwhile, more than $6bn has gone into the private sector.

Young entrepreneurs I have met from England to New England, talk about their plans to get their projects up by 2025. Such ambition and enthusiasm is catching and the FEC has always been a place where ideas and enthusiasm are shared.

Now is the time to use the momentum and the enthusiasm and ride it to more breakthroughs.

The world is in urgent need of reliable energy sources that mitigate climate change and provide energy security. Governments know it, the public is demanding it, and people are becoming better informed about fusion.

The FEC will always be a place dedicated to science and engineering in fusion. But the fusion community is growing. We are at a crucial moment in the development of the field and there are new stakeholders who want to be – and need to be – part of the dialogue. I want you to be the first to hear the news from me: the IAEA will convene the inaugural World Fusion Energy Group next year. It will bring together you, the indispensable scientists and engineers, policy makers, financiers, regulators and civil society. This next leg of the fusion energy journey will get us from experiment to demonstration to commercial fusion energy production.

It is time to tell the story of fusion widely and with confidence. Fusion can provide stable, baseload power, and complement intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind. Fusion could help address the challenges of grid stability and energy storage. Fusion technology will be inherently safe with no long-lived radioactive waste. Fusion could revolutionize the way industries produce high-grade heat, to achieve more sustainable and environmentally friendly industrial practices. Fusion can provide enhanced energy security and independence from market fluctuations because its inputs are widely available or produced in situ. 

There is of course the question of timing – that old quip that fusion will always be the energy of the future. But with every breakthrough we are experiencing, that belief sounds more and more outdated.

Will fusion get us to our climate goals of 2050? That is being debated. But the world will continue after 2050, and it will need clean energy on a massive scale beyond that date, to be sure.

No energy is more expensive than no energy, as the distinguished Indian nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha, said.

Today, nearly 800 million people still have no access to electricity. If billions of people are to be lifted from poverty, developing countries will be requiring much bigger energy budgets by the second half of this century. Meeting those needs requires investments made today. Here, I am not only talking of financial investments. Let me tell you a bit about how the IAEA is investing in the future of fusion.

We have brought together experts from across the IAEA’s disciplines to address all aspects of fusion, from research and development to future demonstration and deployment. We are also looking at safety and regulation, and even proliferation aspects of fusion and its interrelation with international law. We will draw from our long experience, deep knowledge and wide network in fission energy systems.

And we are reaching out beyond our hallways. Just a few weeks ago, I travelled to Massachusetts and signed a partnership with MIT to create the first Collaborating Centre focussed on fusion. We are also collaborating with companies, including Eni, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, General Atomics, and Tokamak Energy and First Light Fusion, here in the UK.

The IAEA will continue to support research in fusion through its Coordinated Research Programmes. We will continue to provide and manage important atomic and plasma physics data through 7 fusion databases. The Agency’s Fusion Portal has more than 10,000 users a year. It is the single access point to the Agency’s work in fusion and it is the home of the Fusion Device Information System, which has been visited more than 40,000 times.

Nuclear Fusion – the first and premier scientific journal in the field – continues strong after more than 60 years.

But the community and the public still lack a regularly published, recognized reference that tells us exactly where we are and what is happening on all the world’s continents in fusion. This is why, today in London, I am proud to introduce the IAEA’s World Fusion Outlook

I am confident it will become the global reference for authoritative information and updates on fusion energy, its developments and its prospects.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Fusion is not to be confined to the laboratories and experimental centres. They, of course, are indispensable. But the ambition is to bring fusion energy to the economy. To make it part of the energy mix of the not-to-distant future, credible pathways must be identified, encouraged and supported.

I believe private-public partnerships will become increasingly important as the emphasis on R&D for fusion power plants grows.

We are seeing more and more start-ups enter this space. Many, like Kyoto Fusioneering, will become important parts of the supply chain that builds the fusion power industry.

But like a puzzle, these pieces only become a coherent picture when you align them. With its global reach, the IAEA is able to align fusion energy R&D programs to give us a clearer picture of where the sector is heading. This clarity and alignment will help make the most of existing facilities and optimize the development of new ones. It will support the testing and qualifying of crucial fusion technology components, in parallel with DEMO designs and constructions. Global cooperation, public-private partnership and effective regulation will all play crucial roles in fusion’s progress.

The IAEA has been, is and will be the central hub for international cooperation and coordination in fusion, just as it is for fission. That is why I believe we should not only discuss where we are today. Let us pave the way, support each other, and nurture projects and groups around the world. This is what the World Fusion Energy Group is all about.

The World Fusion Energy Group will bring together a set of diverse stakeholders in a dialogue that will drive fusion development forward.

I will shortly invite fusion experts to work with the IAEA to outline Fusion Key Elements such as fusion-related definitions, characteristics and criteria for fusion energy to help develop common understanding among stakeholders essential for global deployment. I expect these Fusion Key Elements to be ready by the inaugural gathering of World Fusion Energy Group.

In closing, let me thank you. I am inspired by your determination and enthusiasm. It is a privilege to be working together on this grand engineering endeavour of the 21st Century. We all are benefiting from the scientific and engineering feats of generations past. Standing on the shoulders of those who preceded us, we can see further and accomplish more.

Dear colleagues, dear friends,

While we may have different views on how exactly the global energy landscape will look in the coming years, we all see a place for fusion. Making this possibility a reality, is up to all of us.

IAEA Fusion Energy Conference Opener 2023

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fosters the exchange of scientific and technical results in nuclear fusion research and development through its series of Fusion Energy Conferences. The 29th Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2023) aims to provide a forum for the discussion of key physics and technology issues as well as innovative concepts of direct relevance to the use of nuclear fusion as a future source of energy. This video introduces the current state of the field.

Update 188 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is transitioning a second reactor to hot shutdown to provide warm water and district heating, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

The ZNPP, Europe’s largest such facility, stopped generating electricity for the grid in September last year. Since April, it has kept five reactors in cold shutdown and just one, currently unit 4, in hot shutdown to generate steam to process liquid radioactive waste and to heat water for Enerhodar, where most plant staff live. Ahead of the upcoming winter season, it started transferring unit 5 to hot shutdown this week after carrying out safety maintenance and testing at this unit.

The IAEA experts were told that a decision regarding how long unit 5 will remain in hot shutdown will be made once Enerhodar’s heating systems have stabilized after the beginning of the heating season, which starts in the coming days. They were also informed that there are no plans to transfer additional units to hot shutdown.

The IAEA has strongly encouraged the ZNPP to find an alternative, external source of steam generation to cover its needs and allow for all the reactors to be maintained in a cold shutdown state, in part because the destruction of the Kakhovka dam four months ago limited the site’s supplies of cooling water.

The IAEA experts at the site have earlier been informed that the ZNPP has initiated a process to buy an external steam generator by sending technical requirements to possible vendors. However, the installation of this equipment is not expected until the first part of 2024, possibly not until after the end of the heating season.

As previously reported, Ukraine’s national regulator, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), issued regulatory orders in June to limit the operation of all six units of the ZNPP to a cold shutdown state.

IAEA Climate Change Conference Ends with Appeal for ‘Level Playing Field’ for Low Carbon Nuclear Power

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA’s 2nd International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power 2023: Atoms4NetZero concluded in Vienna today with an appeal for a “level playing field” on energy policies and access to financing so that nuclear power can fulfil its potential in achieving climate change and energy security goals. 

The conference’s president, Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), brought the event to an end following a week of high-level talks involving nearly 550 participants from 81 countries and 26 invited organisations. Participants agreed that nuclear energy plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change but must overcome several challenges to achieve the large-scale deployment that several authoritative global studies say is needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. 

“We must continue to push for a level playing field for nuclear energy, in terms of policies and access to financing, which can allow the technology to benefit from similarly favorable conditions that helped to deploy renewable energy technologies at scale over the last decade,” Mr Alkaabi said in his summary of the conference’s conclusions. “Long term energy policies, innovative electricity market designs and technology-neutral sustainable finance frameworks that recognize nuclear’s contribution to energy system reliability, flexibility and decarbonization are needed.” 

At the start of the conference, the IAEA released its latest annual outlook for nuclear power in the coming decades, with its projections revised up for a third consecutive year. The high case projection sees installed nuclear capacity more than doubling by 2050. That is just above the figures recently published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) for nuclear power’s required contribution to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the average increase in global temperatures to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. 

Currently, 31 countries operate nuclear power, which provides more than nine per cent of the world’s electricity but accounts for around 25 per cent of its clean electricity. Another 30 countries or so are embarking on or considering the introduction of nuclear power, with support from the IAEA. 

“We found consensus on the crucial role of nuclear energy in meeting climate targets, with emphasis on safe long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants in established nuclear markets, the need to rapidly deploy proven large-scale reactors and the urgency of bringing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to market as soon as possible, particularly to replace fossil plants of similar size, including to meet the needs of emerging countries and for non-electric applications,” Mr Alkaabi said. 

The UAE will host COP28, the UN’s main climate change conference, starting next month in Dubai, where the IAEA for the second successive year will host a pavilion highlighting the role of nuclear energy in mitigating and adapting to climate change. “This year at COP, countries using nuclear energy will gather around the global convening point of the IAEA to state the reality: they use, they will continue to use, and they will increase the contribution of nuclear energy to the energy mix,” IAEA Director General said in his  opening remarks to this week’s conference. 

The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, who noted that progress on nuclear power is currently not keeping pace and pointed to Europe, where 20 years ago nuclear provided 30% of electricity but will fall to about 15% in the coming years unless national policies change. “This has a lot of implications,” Mr Birol said, “for Europe’s electricity security and how challenging it will be to fight against climate change.” 

As well as providing clean electricity 24 hours a day, nuclear power could also radically cut emissions in industry, transportation and buildings, known as the hard-to-abate sectors, which are responsible for 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power can produce process heat for industries such as cement and steel making, clean hydrogen for transport and other uses, district heating for buildings and also help address the growing global need for fresh drinking water by reducing the carbon footprint of desalinisation.  

“Nuclear power is the only technology that can produce at scale the three low-carbon energy vectors needed to reach net zero: electricity, heat and hydrogen,” Mr Alkaabi said. “Unfortunately, there is a large disconnect between what nuclear technology can deliver and how this potential is portrayed in climate scenarios that inform policymakers.”  

To help governments and financial institutions make data-driven, science-based decisions about their investments in future energy systems, the IAEA last year launched the Atoms4NetZero initiative. In cooperation with a variety of partners, it aims to provide a comprehensive energy scenario modelling service, featuring the full potential of nuclear power in achieving net zero emissions, including providing non-electric applications such as hydrogen production.  

The weeklong conference included ten high-level panels, a high-level segment, a special session, 18 technical sessions, and seven side events organized by various stakeholders. The panels focused on the role of nuclear power in the global clean energy transition, and how to enable it to fulfil its potential in that role, and mobilize multi-stakeholders, including women and young generation groups, to facilitate the global dialogue about nuclear as a sustainable low-carbon energy source. More about the conference, including the programme can be found be here

IAEA Climate Change Conference Opens as Agency Unveils Even Brighter Nuclear Outlook

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA’s 2nd International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power 2023: Atoms4NetZero concluded in Vienna today with an appeal for a “level playing field” on energy policies and access to financing so that nuclear power can fulfil its potential in achieving climate change and energy security goals. 

The conference’s president, Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), brought the event to an end following a week of high-level talks involving nearly 550 participants from 81 countries and 26 invited organisations. Participants agreed that nuclear energy plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change but must overcome several challenges to achieve the large-scale deployment that several authoritative global studies say is needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. 

“We must continue to push for a level playing field for nuclear energy, in terms of policies and access to financing, which can allow the technology to benefit from similarly favorable conditions that helped to deploy renewable energy technologies at scale over the last decade,” Mr Alkaabi said in his summary of the conference’s conclusions. “Long term energy policies, innovative electricity market designs and technology-neutral sustainable finance frameworks that recognize nuclear’s contribution to energy system reliability, flexibility and decarbonization are needed.” 

At the start of the conference, the IAEA released its latest annual outlook for nuclear power in the coming decades, with its projections revised up for a third consecutive year. The high case projection sees installed nuclear capacity more than doubling by 2050. That is just above the figures recently published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) for nuclear power’s required contribution to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the average increase in global temperatures to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. 

Currently, 31 countries operate nuclear power, which provides more than nine per cent of the world’s electricity but accounts for around 25 per cent of its clean electricity. Another 30 countries or so are embarking on or considering the introduction of nuclear power, with support from the IAEA. 

“We found consensus on the crucial role of nuclear energy in meeting climate targets, with emphasis on safe long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants in established nuclear markets, the need to rapidly deploy proven large-scale reactors and the urgency of bringing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to market as soon as possible, particularly to replace fossil plants of similar size, including to meet the needs of emerging countries and for non-electric applications,” Mr Alkaabi said. 

The UAE will host COP28, the UN’s main climate change conference, starting next month in Dubai, where the IAEA for the second successive year will host a pavilion highlighting the role of nuclear energy in mitigating and adapting to climate change. “This year at COP, countries using nuclear energy will gather around the global convening point of the IAEA to state the reality: they use, they will continue to use, and they will increase the contribution of nuclear energy to the energy mix,” IAEA Director General said in his  opening remarks to this week’s conference. 

The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, who noted that progress on nuclear power is currently not keeping pace and pointed to Europe, where 20 years ago nuclear provided 30% of electricity but will fall to about 15% in the coming years unless national policies change. “This has a lot of implications,” Mr Birol said, “for Europe’s electricity security and how challenging it will be to fight against climate change.” 

As well as providing clean electricity 24 hours a day, nuclear power could also radically cut emissions in industry, transportation and buildings, known as the hard-to-abate sectors, which are responsible for 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power can produce process heat for industries such as cement and steel making, clean hydrogen for transport and other uses, district heating for buildings and also help address the growing global need for fresh drinking water by reducing the carbon footprint of desalinisation.  

“Nuclear power is the only technology that can produce at scale the three low-carbon energy vectors needed to reach net zero: electricity, heat and hydrogen,” Mr Alkaabi said. “Unfortunately, there is a large disconnect between what nuclear technology can deliver and how this potential is portrayed in climate scenarios that inform policymakers.”  

To help governments and financial institutions make data-driven, science-based decisions about their investments in future energy systems, the IAEA last year launched the Atoms4NetZero initiative. In cooperation with a variety of partners, it aims to provide a comprehensive energy scenario modelling service, featuring the full potential of nuclear power in achieving net zero emissions, including providing non-electric applications such as hydrogen production.  

The weeklong conference included ten high-level panels, a high-level segment, a special session, 18 technical sessions, and seven side events organized by various stakeholders. The panels focused on the role of nuclear power in the global clean energy transition, and how to enable it to fulfil its potential in that role, and mobilize multi-stakeholders, including women and young generation groups, to facilitate the global dialogue about nuclear as a sustainable low-carbon energy source. More about the conference, including the programme can be found be here

IAEA Mission Says Italy Committed to Managing Radioactive Waste Safely, Sees Areas for Improvement

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) peer review mission said Italy is committed to addressing the challenges of safely managing its radioactive waste. The review identified areas for additional efforts, including the swift approval of plans for a national repository for spent fuel and radioactive waste.  

The Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) review team concluded the ten-day mission to Italy on 10 October. The review was carried out at the request of Italy and hosted by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (‘MASE’).

The team engaged with representatives of MASE, the National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ISIN), and the Italian state owned company responsible for the decommissioning of Italian nuclear plants and the management of radioactive waste, SOGIN, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Development (ENEA) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) Ispra.

The ARTEMIS review team comprised six experts from Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Lithuania, and France and three IAEA staff members.

Italy’s radioactive waste management responsibilities arise from decommissioning four nuclear power reactors and facilities from the country’s former nuclear power programme. All nuclear power plants were closed by 1990. Italy also manages radioactive waste from the operation of five research reactors, research laboratories and experimental facilities and from activities in medicine, industry and other uses.

Italy stores waste at temporary storage sites near decommissioned nuclear power reactors and other nuclear facilities. It plans to establish a national repository comprised of a near surface disposal facility for very low level and low level waste, a centralized storage for intermediate level and high level waste as well as a technology research park. The search for a suitable site is underway.

The ARTEMIS review team concluded that the Italian counterparts are aware of the challenges of safely managing the country’s radioactive waste and are committed to addressing them.

“Italy has thoroughly prepared for the ARTEMIS review mission, proactively shared pertinent information and engaged in constructive discussions. I am confident that the mission will support Italy in managing nuclear and radiological waste,” said ARTEMIS team leader Paul McClelland, Director, Waste Management & Technical Support at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.

The team identified areas for improvements, including a formal approval for the national radioactive waste management programme, the development of a Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) programme clearly linked to supporting implementation of the national programme, and the consideration of international experience in resource planning.   

The ARTEMIS Review Team identified concrete recommendations and suggestions, including:

  • The Government should approve the 2023 National Programme, that includes geological disposal as a final destination for spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste.
  • The Government should ensure that the process for authorization of closure of the planned near surface disposal facility requires update of the safety report as part of the application.
  • The Government should take measures to ensure that the time constraints imposed on preparation and review of the safety case and safety assessment for the national repository will not compromise safety.
     
  • ISIN should implement its own Research and Development programme to build its expertise to review safety cases for the activities in the National Programme.
     

The review also acknowledged Italy’s comprehensive training and development programmes for nuclear professionals as a good practice. 

“The ARTEMIS peer review has been an excellent forum for the exchange of experiences and lessons learned in an open and transparent manner. We are grateful that the review team recognized our efforts so far to establish a well-managed spent fuel and radioactive waste system. We are fully committed to addressing the recommendations and suggestions that have been highlighted, which will make an important contribution to strengthening our capabilities and valuable guidelines for further improvements,” said Mariano Cordone, Director of Nuclear Division at Ministry of MASE.

Anna Clark, Head of the IAEA’s Waste and Environmental Safety Section, said that Italy is clearly committed to the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. “Italy’s approach to this peer review mission has enabled open and fruitful discussions. This has allowed members of the ARTEMIS peer review team to share relevant experience, for example relating to time and resources required to plan for geological disposal.  We are confident that the findings will help Italy to further enhance the safe and effective management of spent fuel and radioactive waste” she said.

The final report from the review will be provided to the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security in two months.

About ARTEMIS

The Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) is an integrated expert review service for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and remediation programmes. ARTEMIS reviews provide independent expert assessments using teams of international specialist peer reviewers convened by the IAEA and are based on the IAEA Safety Standards, technical guidance, and international good practices. 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.

Behind the Scenes of an IAEA Mission: Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) in Bangladesh

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Satyajit Ghose has spent nearly 30 years in the field of nuclear safety, of which the last 15 years he worked as a regulator for Bangladesh’s nuclear sector. Last year, his daily regulatory activities included preparing for and hosting a complex international peer review to assess how Bangladesh is ensuring the protection of people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

The review was timely, as Bangladesh is embarking on a nuclear power programme. Its first nuclear power plant (NPP), Rooppur NPP, is under construction, and earlier this month, Bangladesh officially received its first uranium shipment to fuel the NPP. Once operational, Rooppur NPP will provide 2400 MW of clean energy, supporting the country’s efforts to decarbonise and become a developed economy by 2041. “Bangladesh stands as a success story for newcomer countries in nuclear power development, advancing its programme under the IAEA’s guidance,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “The IAEA will continue to support their nuclear journey.”

The IAEA offers more than 30 peer review and advisory services to help countries strengthen and enhance their nuclear-related practices. Peer reviews, which are organized upon request, compare the country’s national infrastructure and practices with IAEA safety standards and other publications. These services, often referred to as ‘missions,’ focus on an array of specialties, from nuclear safety and security to safeguards and the health sector. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) is one such mission that reviews a country’s regulatory infrastructure against IAEA safety standards with a view to improve nuclear and radiation safety and facilitate global harmonization.

“The IRRS mission in Bangladesh was particularly important to review and strengthen regulatory infrastructure required for ensuring the safety of the country’s nuclear power programme,” said Zia Shah, Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA. Shah was the Team Coordinator of the IAEA’s IRRS in Bangladesh, from 26 November to 8 December 2022. “This IRRS mission provides an opportunity for the country to optimize efforts and resources for effective regulatory oversight of the nuclear power plant and all other nuclear-related facilities and activities in line with the IAEA safety standards.”

Update 187 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts were today granted access to the rooftop of reactor unit 2 of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and did not observe any mines or explosives there, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

From the top of the building, the IAEA team could also observe the entire rooftop of its turbine hall as well as parts of the rooftops of the reactor buildings and turbine halls of units 1 and 3, also without seeing any mines or explosives, Director General Grossi said.

The team will continue making its long-standing request to also visit the rooftops of reactor units 1, 5 and 6 to monitor compliance with the five concrete principles for protecting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) during the military conflict in Ukraine, which state that it should neither be attacked nor be used as a base for heavy weapons.

Today’s development comes after IAEA experts on 3 August were allowed access to the rooftops of units 3 and 4, following reports that explosives may have been placed there. Also at that time, they did not observe any mines or explosives.

“After repeated requests in recent months, we were at last able to go to one more reactor rooftop. While this is a step in the right direction, we still need more access to assess adherence to the five principles, which were presented and gained support at the United Nations Security Council. We will continue to insist until this is granted,” Director General Grossi said.

The IAEA experts also require access to all six turbine halls to be able to confirm the absence of any materials and equipment that may contravene the five principles.  This request has not yet been approved and the IAEA team can only confirm the status of one turbine hall at a time.

Highlighting the risks facing the plant during the military conflict, the IAEA team at the site has continued to hear explosions almost every day. Usually, they appear to occur some distance away from the plant, but yesterday four blasts took place closer to the site.

“Without any doubt, the nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant remains highly precarious. We will continue to do everything we can do help prevent a nuclear accident during the war in Ukraine,” Director General Grossi said.

Of the ZNPP’s six reactors, five remain in cold shutdown, while unit 4 continues to be in a state of hot shutdown to generate steam to heat water for the nearby town of Enerhodar – where most plant staff live – and to process liquid radioactive waste.

As previously reported, Ukraine’s national regulator, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), has issued regulatory orders to limit the operation of all six units of the ZNPP to a cold shutdown state. In addition, the IAEA has been strongly encouraging the ZNPP to find an alternative source of steam generation to cover the plant’s needs and allow for all the reactors to be maintained in a cold shutdown state.

The ZNPP is continuing to conduct maintenance activities on unit 6 following its transition to cold shutdown earlier this month. The IAEA experts were informed that the site performed testing on two of the unit’s steam generators due to the presence of boron in the secondary circuit, which is an indicator of a leak, albeit much smaller than that found in one of the steam generators of Unit 4, which was subsequently repaired. In unit 6, the tests performed by the ZNPP identified small water leaks in one tube of each steam generator, which have now been repaired and testing is being performed to confirm the successful repair.

The IAEA experts are also continuing to monitor the water situation at the plant following the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam in early June. To find alternative sources of cooling water for the reactors and spent fuel, the plant has recently completed the construction of 11 underground wells which are together supplying around 250 cubic metres per hour, which the site had estimated would be sufficient to maintain the level of all 12 sprinkler cooling ponds, which have remained steady following some issues with their levels in late September.

Over the past week, the IAEA team has conducted walkdowns across the site, including within the site perimeter, in the main control room and reactor building of unit 5 and in the reactor building of unit 6. The experts have also observed testing of the safety system of unit 2 and maintenance activities on the transformer of unit 6. During these walkdowns, the team did not observe any new mines or explosives.

As part of these activities, the IAEA experts also closely observe the performance of the operating staff as the team collects more information about the status of staffing and the training and licensing of staff at the plant.

IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three other NPPs and the Chornobyl site report safe and secure operations of these nuclear facilities despite the continuation of the armed conflict.

The IAEA team based at the Rivne NPP said it had completed scheduled maintenance of unit 2, including the successful loading of a new type of fuel into this reactor. After it was re-started, the reactor was today reconnected to the grid.

Over the past week, the IAEA completed its 27th and 28th deliveries of equipment and other items designed to enhance nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, providing two Starlink terminals with associated equipment to the Khmelnytskyy NPP to support reliable communications to and from the site as well as a mobile helium leak detector with accessories for tightness control to the South Ukraine NPP. The equipment was procured with funds provided by the European Union, including the European Commission.

IAEA Conference to Advance Global Fusion Agenda, Launch Outlook Report

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The 29th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC) will start on Monday in London, United Kingdom, with a high-level Ministerial panel and the presentation of a new IAEA publication providing authoritative information and updates on fusion energy. The conference will be held from 16 to 21 October, bringing together prominent scientists, researchers, engineers, and other stakeholders representing both the public and private sectors.

The FEC is organized by the IAEA and hosted by the Government of the United Kingdom through the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

A press conference with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and UKAEA CEO Prof Sir Ian Chapman will occur on Monday, 16 October, at 12:00 CEST (11:00 BST).

At the FEC, Director General Grossi will present the first edition of the IAEA World Fusion Outlook.

This new regular publication is slated to become a global reference for fusion energy research, development, and prospective deployment as a source of clean and abundant energy. He will also discuss progress in fusion research and development and underline the IAEA’s essential role in fusion development.  

Director General Grossi and UK Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie will open the conference.

They will also participate in a panel discussion chaired by Prof Sir Ian Chapman and including other international speakers:

  • Ms Bettina Stark-Watzinger, German Federal Minister of Education and Research
  • Mr Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General of ITER
  • Mr Jean Paul Allain, Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences, DOE
  • Mr Satoshi Konishi, Co-Founder and Chief Fusioneer of Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd

The world’s leading fusion experts will deliver more than 100 presentations. Side events, technical tours, webinars, and exhibition booths offer complementary information. More information on the event is available here.

The IAEA has played a pivotal role in promoting international cooperation on fusion research and has been driving scientific and technological advancements in the field. First held in Salzburg, Austria, in 1961, the FEC has been the leading platform for key physics and technology discussions and innovative concepts related to nuclear fusion.  

Registration

Journalists can follow the press conference, all conference proceedings and side events in person or through streaming on the IAEA Conferences and Meetings app (iOS, Android) upon registration under this link .   

For further questions, including interview requests, please contact press@iaea.org and mediaenquiry@ukaea.uk.

UKAEA can provide fusion energy stock photos and b-roll footage to supplement any photos and footage from the conference, please email MediaEnquiry@ukaea.uk.

The IAEA and fusion

The IAEA has played a pivotal role in promoting international cooperation on fusion research and has been driving scientific and technological advancements in the field. Organised by the IAEA for the first time in 1961 in Salzburg, Austria, the FEC has been the leading platform for key physics and technology discussions and innovative concepts related to nuclear fusion. 

Founded in 1960 by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Fusion is the leading journal in the field. The Editorial Office is based at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and administers the peer-review process. Production, distribution, subscription fulfilment and marketing of Nuclear Fusion in print and electronic form are undertaken by IOP Publishing, which is based in Bristol, UK. This co-publishing arrangement has been in place since 2002 and combines the IAEA’s outstanding peer review and dedicated author services with the publishing expertise of IOP Publishing. Today, the journal continues its tradition as a leading voice of the worldwide fusion community while offering the most up-to-date electronic services. 

IAEA Mission Recognizes Saudi Arabia’s Commitment to Radiation Safety, Identifies Areas for Further Improvement

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated commitment to safety for all applications and occurrences of radiation sources in the country. The team recommended actions for improvement, including the establishment of a national strategy for radioactive waste management. 

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, the first to Saudi Arabia, was conducted at the request of the Government of Saudi Arabia and hosted by the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC). The ten-day mission took place from 1 to 10 October 2023.

Using IAEA safety standards and international good practices, IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national regulatory infrastructure while recognizing the responsibility of each country for nuclear, radiation, radioactive waste and transport safety.

In 2018, Saudi Arabia’s Government announced its national policy for an atomic energy programme for peaceful uses, committing to achieve the highest safety and security standards in nuclear and radiation facilities, activities and practices.  The country uses radioactive sources in medicine, industry, research, and education and has an important Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) industry, areas that were the focus of this IRRS mission. The NRRC regulates all nuclear and radiological activities and facilities.

The IRRS team – consisting of senior regulatory experts from ten IAEA Member States, three IAEA staff members and one observer – met with officials from the NRRC to assess Saudi Arabia’s regulatory framework for radiation safety against IAEA safety standards. The IRRS team members observed the working practices during inspections carried out by NRRC at the nuclear medicine facility at Alhabib Hospital, the Sure Beam Middle East, L.L.C industrial irradiator facility, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and a radioactive waste storage facility. The IRRS team members also visited NRRC’s environmental monitoring laboratories. The team noted that relationships between the regulatory body and authorized parties were constructive and open.

“Overall, we found that the regulatory programme of Saudi Arabia is well established, considering that it was only established four years ago,” said Paul Dale, from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in the United Kingdom and Team Leader for the mission. “The regulatory oversight of radiation safety is solid, established and progressing, the IRRS team welcomes the commitment of NRRC to continue to progress its regulatory systems and to continually improve.”

The team found that Saudi Arabia has adopted the policies, principles, and strategies to further continue the development of the regulatory programme for radiation safety and concluded that it is fully committed to safety in all applications of atomic technology in the country.

The IRRS team observed the following good practices:

  • The establishment of a Joint Government Organizations Policy (JGoP) as a legally binding mechanism for ensuring legal division of labour to deliver effective joint working arrangements and coordination between the NRRC and other relevant government agencies and for the tasks and responsibilities to be clearly assigned to avoid any omissions, undue duplication or conflicting requirements.
  • The establishment of a certified business continuity management system by the NRRC for maintaining the regulatory oversight of facilities and activities continuity of its critical regulatory functions in any disruptive or emergency situation.

The IRRS team also made recommendations and suggestions for the Government and NRRC which will enhance the effectiveness of the regulatory framework and functions in line with the IAEA safety standards, including:

  • To establish a national strategy for radioactive waste management to outline arrangements for ensuring the implementation of the national policy.
  • To consider establishing a competence framework led by the NRRC for building and maintaining competence in safety.
  • To consider developing and implementing national comprehensive arrangements, with clear roles for relevant organizations, to search for and regain control over legacy of radioactive sources including orphan sources.
  • To complete and implement a protection strategy for NORM exposure situations.
  • The NRRC should formally recognize Technical Service Organizations in Saudi Arabia that may have significance for safety.

The IRRS Team also noted that the majority of the areas identified for further improvement were identified by Saudi Arabia itself in its self-assessment, made in advance of the mission.

“The NRRC values its strategic partnership with the IAEA and welcomes the conclusions of IRRS mission. The outcomes from the mission will help guide the strengthening of the regulatory framework for radiation safety and will be used to formulate the strategy of the NRRC for the following years,” said Khalid Aleissa, Chief Executive Officer of the NRRC.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with NRRC as regulator made a big step forward in developing the regulatory framework for radiation safety,” added Hildegarde Vandenhove, Director of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety at the closing session today. “I am confident that the recommendations and suggestions highlighted during the review mission, will be considered and implemented.”

Background

General information about IRRS missions can be found on the IAEA website. The IRRS regulatory review process provides a peer review of both regulatory technical and policy issues and is suitable for any State, regardless of the level of development of its activities and practices that involve ionizing radiation or a nuclear programme. IRRS teams evaluate a State’s regulatory infrastructure for safety against IAEA safety standards. 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 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.

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.