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IAEA’s First Cuban Collaborating Centre for Coastal and Marine Health

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Florence Descroix Comanducci, Director of the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, presents Alejandro Garcia Moya, Director of the Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos (CEAC), with a plaque recognizing the designation of CEAC as an IAEA Collaborating Centre,  June 2024, Monaco. (Photo Credit E. McDonald/IAEA)

The first IAEA Collaborating Centre for marine research in a small island developing state has been officially designated in Cuba. The Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos has been working with the IAEA for many years, applying nuclear and isotopic techniques to manage fragile Cuban marine environments more effectively. It will now strengthen this collaboration and apply these techniques to the study of marine-coastal ecosystems in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.

The Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos (CEAC) will serve as a hub for research, development and capacity building, focusing on marine and coastal pollution, harmful algae blooms, ocean acidification and carbon sequestration, among others. The five-year Collaborating Centre agreement will support IAEA’s efforts to enhance countries’ capacity to use nuclear tools and techniques for regional marine monitoring, strengthening seafood safety programmes and building resilience in coastal communities. Small island developing states (SIDS) are heavily dependent on the ocean for environmental and economic prosperity, making them particularly vulnerable to ocean changes. Monitoring the impacts of ocean changes is crucial to ensuring that communities have the information they need to identify potential threats and mitigate negative effects.

“The centre will support studies relevant to the identification of sources and effects of pollutants in the environment, using isotopic, nuclear and molecular techniques,” said Florence Descroix-Comanducci, Director of the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories. “The progress we have already made in collaboration with CEAC is a testament to what science can achieve, and I look forward to the advances that will come as a result of this new agreement.” To commemorate CEAC’s designation as an IAEA Collaborating Centre, Descroix-Comanducci presented CEAC Director Alejandro Garcia Moya with a plaque in June 2024 at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories.

CEAC has long been involved in IAEA trainings and coordinated research projects (CRPs) to develop capacity and improve scientific understanding of marine plastic pollution. CEAC is also involved in the IAEA’s NUClear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics) initiative, for the assessment and monitoring of microplastics in the marine environment.

“Successful sustainable ocean management can only be achieved through collaborative efforts. This agreement is an inter-institutional framework to contribute to research and human resources capacity-building of Caribbean and Latin American scientists in using nuclear and isotopic techniques,” said Alejandro Garcia Moya, Director of CEAC. “Becoming an IAEA Collaborating Centre is another step towards improving our scientific capacities, locally, regionally and globally.”

CEAC Researchers take samples of microorganisms that may produce toxins. (Photo: Cienfuegos Center for Environmental Studies)

As part of the agreed workplan, CEAC will analyse pollutants, assess the impacts of microplastic pollution and use Polonium 210 and Caesium 137 to date sediment cores for the purpose of determining rates of carbon sequestration in marine sediments. Additionally, CEAC will undertake field studies to better understand the occurrence of biotoxins, HABS and eutrophication processes in aquatic ecosystems. The collection and compilation of data addressing these issues is crucial to ensuring that stocks of seafood are maintained and safe to consume. CEAC’s designation as an IAEA Collaborating Centre is another step towards enhancing capacity in Cuba and the Latin America and Caribbean region, supporting local, regional and national institutions and advancing global scientific progress.

About Collaborating Centre

An IAEA Collaborating Centre is a national institution, department or laboratory, which focuses on research, development and training and which has been designated by the IAEA to support the IAEA’s programmatic activities by implementing an agreed work plan. The designation of such a Centre is done through an IAEA Collaborating Centre Agreement. This Agreement is a legally binding document signed by both parties, which contains the undertakings of the parties and the duration of designation as well as the objectives, activities and expected results and outcomes.

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IAEA Launches New App to Help Assess Radiation Threat Following Alarm

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Radiation detection systems at airports can be triggered by people who recently received medical treatment with radiopharmaceuticals, causing an ‘innocent alarm’ that can be assessed with a new app. (Photo: Adobe Stock)

The IAEA has launched a new app to help frontline officers assess radiation alarms triggered by people at airports, border crossings and other points of entry – and ease delays. 

Passing through fixed radiation detection portals at airports has become part of travelers’ routines, as well as a standard security precaution. But what happens if an alarm is set off? The priority is to answer the question on why the person triggered an alarm, to understand quickly if there is a nuclear security threat or not.  

The new mobile application – the Personnel Alarm Assessment Tool (PAAT) – helps frontline officers, such as customs or law enforcement personnel, make those decisions.  

“PAAT is now added to the IAEA suite of science and technology tools available to support countries in implementing nuclear security measures,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security. “PAAT is another example of the different ways in which the IAEA is working to give countries the technology and training they need to improve their nuclear security measures.” 

When a radiation alarm is triggered, customs officers or other specialized personnel follow a set procedure to assess the nature of the alarm and determine whether it is an actual security threat or not. In most cases, the alarms are ‘innocent’ and are set off by people who have recently undergone a medical treatment or a diagnostic procedure that involved the use of  radiopharmaceuticals.

PAAT users insert data obtained from a brief interview with the person involved plus a radiation measurement. PAAT includes a catalogue of 70 radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine, and the measurement plus the interview produces a quantitative assessment of the likely source of the radiation that has been detected. The application tool gives a red, yellow or green signal and provides important and immediate support for frontline officers in the assessment of the radiation source.  

The use of PAAT is expected to minimize the time required for this alarm assessment. “PAAT allows for a fast and accurate assessment to reduce unnecessary delay for the person who has undergone a medical procedure and minimize the impact of innocent alarms on normal operations of busy places like airports,” added Buglova.  

PAAT is part of the overall IAEA toolkit provided to countries to improve radiation detection operations in a variety of scenarios. “The idea behind PAAT is similar to the Tool for Radiation Alarm and Commodity Evaluation (TRACE) mobile application, launched by the IAEA in 2017. The difference is that PAAT is about alarms caused by people, while TRACE is used in cases of alarms caused by vehicles carrying commodities passing through radiation detection portals,” said Itimad Soufi, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Security of Materials Outside of Regulatory Control Section. “Both mobile applications are easy to use and do not collect personal data.”  

PAAT can be used also for supporting nuclear security measures during major public events, where radiation detection may also result in alarms requiring further assessment.  

PAAT is available for download on Apple and Android devices in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.  

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Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Strengthened in the Caribbean

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

During the training, experts from the IAEA, MD Anderson, PAHO and C/Can delivered lectures on breast anatomy, breast cancer epidemiology, risk factors, pathologies, clinical guidelines and image acquisition protocols for various clinical scenarios – with interactive hands-on image acquisition simulation and biopsy practice sessions. In underlining the importance of early detection, risk management, safety and image quality, they highlighted how essential a multidisciplinary approach is in treating cancer.

Instructors delivered common and parallel programmes tailored to the specific training needs of two diagnostic imaging professional groups – technologists (radiographers and mammographers) and physicians (namely radiologists and those who are also involved in the interpretation of breast images such as gynaecologists, oncologists and surgeons) – from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, strengthening cancer screening and diagnosis for the Caribbean region’s 3.8 million women.

Beyond providing financial support, the IAEA procured 52 breast mannequins on which participants could practice. For their part, MD Anderson and PAHO are providing participants with continued long distance teaching through their Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) telementoring partnership.

The joint course, developed through collaboration between the IAEA and MD Anderson, enhanced regional capabilities to provide better support for breast cancer. MD Anderson is the latest IAEA Collaborating Centre in cancer care and first in North America.

“This regional course – the first joint training under the IAEA’s recently expanded cooperation with MD Anderson –highlights the importance of collaboration in tackling cancer challenges across the globe,” said May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA’s Division of Human Health. “By working hand-in-hand with our partners to address specific needs, we can strengthen the cancer care capacities of IAEA Member States – enabling equitable care for all.”

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IAEA Director General Highlights Agency’s Role in Global Non-Proliferation, Nuclear Security and Safety at Nuclear Law Workshop

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Mr Grossi also spoke about the immense promise of nuclear science and technology, ranging from small modular reactors (SMRs) to radiotherapy for cancer treatment, in addressing global challenges such as climate change, health and food and energy insecurity.

Workshop participants attended expert lectures and panels on IAEA safeguards and non-proliferation as well as sessions on the legal frameworks for nuclear safety and civil liability for nuclear damage led by IAEA experts. From protection to prevention and minimization of radiation risks, to the mitigation of consequences in the event of a nuclear accident, nuclear safety is a prerequisite for nuclear power. Mechanisms for compensation and civil liability for nuclear damage provide the legal certainty needed by the public, industry, lenders and investors. 

IAEA’s Legal Adviser and Assistant Director General Peri Lynne Johnson said: “This IAEA-led workshop under the umbrella of three universities, provides a unique opportunity to address the importance of nuclear law to stakeholders from academia, industry and lawfirms.”

The final day of the workshop took as its theme “The Law of Nuclear Security in the Midst of World Challenges”. Ms Johnson gave a keynote address on the legal framework for nuclear security and how it can mitigate the risks of nuclear terrorism. A discussion followed on the role of international law in nuclear security and conflict.

The IAEA applies safeguards in more than 190 States. Its inspectors carry out activities to verify that countries are fulfilling their international commitments not to use nuclear material and technology for nuclear-weapons purposes. The global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and regional nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties entrust the IAEA with these verification responsibilities.

By ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear material and technology around the world through the implementation of legally binding instruments, the IAEA contributes to the maintenance of international peace and security, including adherence to  international law.

Question and answer sessions following both of Mr Grossi’s keynote addresses gave participants the opportunity to find out more about nuclear safety and security, safeguards, nuclear law and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. 

Students and young professionals attending the workshop also had the chance to learn more about career opportunities in nuclear law and humanitarian law, including opportunities at the United Nations and the IAEA, as well as at intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

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New Exhibits at the National Cryptologic Museum: Unlock your Curiosity!

Source: National Security Agency NSA

From psychics to extraterrestrial communication, new temporary and permanent exhibits at the National Cryptologic Museum will have you scratching your head.

With exhibit labels like “Mind over Matter” and “What the What?”—museum visitors will go from, “What in the world?” to “What if?” The exhibits explore the extraordinary practice of using psychics to gain information from the enemy.

New Temporary Exhibits

 

Project Star Gate was used by the U.S. Government during the Cold War. Many of the psychic spies were at Ft. Meade, tasked with collecting intelligence, locating enemy agents and determining American vulnerabilities by using “remote viewing.” Remote viewing is mentally viewing a distant location they have never visited to gather insights on a person, site, or specific information. As outrageous as it sounds, the secret program was very successful and was in use until 1995.

A standout in the remote viewing field, Agent 001 of Project Star Gate Joe McMoneagle has been involved in over 200 intelligence missions utilizing his unique set of skills. His distinct collection of drawings (as a result of his remote viewing missions) were used to assist in combat and are a part of the current exhibit.

The exhibit even explores the brief moments in history that the U.S and Russia’s relationship wasn’t quite as contentious. See astounding sketches and the landscapes they match up to!

Plus, see the machine, altered by the mind to change its output! Don’t believe us? Come see for yourself, only at the NCM!

Psychics aren’t the only twilight zoneish content this fall.

SETI (The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) also makes its debut at the NCM. The museum created a theatre room for guests to watch a video about the search for alien life and how researchers go under the sea to make connections.

Using anticryptography methods (a cryptographic message that is easy to decipher), the scientists detail their use of radio signals in their search for intelligent life in the universe. See a circuit board that digitized cosmic signals and more in the quest to communicate with alien life.

Be sure to plan your next visit soon as these temporary exhibits will only be on display through mid-December!

New Permanent Exhibits

 

The Museum has also added several permanent new exhibits as well.

The Language Whiteboard is a linguists’ delight!  It’s a compilation of all the languages we make use of at the agency. It came from the National Cryptologic University’s College of Language and Area Studies, where instructors created the artwork to use a teaching tool. It hung in a language classroom for many years before being “retired” to the National Cryptologic Museum.

While the museum has had several pieces of the Berlin Wall in its collection, the “You Are Leaving the American Sector” sign is a new addition. It was acquired by an American after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The iconic symbol of the Cold War is on display now.

The National Cryptologic Museum is open Mon-Sat from 10am-4pm. Admission is free, reservations are not required.  For more information on scheduling a visit or a field trip visit nsa.gov/museum/

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IAEA and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Strengthen Long-Term Partnership on Ocean Acidification

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ocean acidification impacts marine life, particularly organisms with calcium-based shells or skeletons, such as corals and molluscs.  (Photo: The Ocean Agency/Ocean Image Bank) 

A new partnership has been signed which formalizes a long standing collaboration between the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, hosted by the Principality of Monaco, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on ocean acidification and ocean-based solutions to climate change. The new Partnership falls under the framework of the IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre and the Foundation’s initiative Ocean Acidification and other Ocean Change – Impacts and Solutions and was signed by the Foundation’s Vice President and CEO, Olivier Wenden, and IAEA Deputy Director General Najat Mokhtar.

Ocean acidification occurs when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by human activities. The ocean absorbs about 25 per cent of human-caused CO2 emissions, leading to a series of changes in seawater chemistry, including an increase in acidity.  Ocean acidification impacts marine life, particularly organisms with calcium-based shells or skeletons, such as corals and molluscs. Along with ocean warming and oxygen depletion, these changes create complex and unpredictable challenges for marine ecosystems.

Created in 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Foundation (PA2F) aims to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.  Ocean acidification and ocean change has been a key focus of the PA2F since 2013 when the Ocean Change – Impacts and Solutions (OACIS) Initiative was launched.

“Ocean acidification is a global problem, but how the effects play out depend on local factors,” said Wenden. “Ocean acidification will hit harder in many regions of the world which do not necessarily have the resources or the capacity to monitor and to adapt. We are thrilled to be teaming up with the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories to help bring knowledge and capacity to study ocean acidification to scientists across the globe”.

OACIS brings together the main organizations working on ocean acidification based in the Principality of Monaco (PA2F, the Monaco Government, the Oceanographic Museum, the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories), as well as the Villefranche Oceanographic Laboratory (French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) /Sorbonne Universités), IDDRI and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Mokhtar said: “The IAEA is delighted and proud to formalize its long-lasting collaboration with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, a key player in marine conservation both in Monaco and internationally, with whom we share the same values and interests. We are excited to continue to work together to make sure that the scientific data and information needed to take action on ocean acidification is available, and to amplify our impact together, enabling lasting progress for IAEA Member States”.

Olivier Wenden, DDG Najat Mokhtar and Director Florence Descroix Comanducci, Lina Hansson, Jean-Pierre Cayol, Noura El-Haj on the steps of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, 3 October 2024, Monaco (Photo:Ludovic Arneodo/FPA2)

Ocean acidification is included under the Sustainable Development Goals under Goal 14, and its Target 3, which calls on countries to “minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels”. Addressing ocean acidification is also part of the new Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention of Biological Diversity, under Target 8. Yet, the capacity to monitor and study the effects of ocean acidification on marine biodiversity is largely insufficient in many parts of the world.

The IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) promotes international collaboration on ocean acidification. The Centre organizes training courses for countries, provides access to data and resources and develops standardized methodologies and best practices. The OA-ICC also works to raise awareness among various stakeholders about the role that nuclear and isotopic techniques can play in assessing ocean acidification’s impacts. Scientists at the IAEA’s Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco use these techniques to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification and its interaction with other environmental stressors.

Under the new partnership, the IAEA and the Foundation will co-organize training courses and expert meetings to empower countries to study and act on ocean acidification and ensure that research in this field is inclusive and participatory. They also plan to organize joint events to raise awareness about the latest research on ocean acidification and ocean-based solutions among policymakers, resource managers and other stakeholders at key ocean gatherings, such as the annual Monaco Ocean Week and the United Nations Ocean Conference and related events to be held in Nice and Monaco in June 2025.

Additionally, the partnership will also explore joint activities related to plastic pollution, another critical area where both the IAEA, through its flagship initiative on plastic pollution (NUTEC Plastics), and the PA2F are actively engaged.

As part of their joint upcoming activities, the two partners are organizing an international Winter School on Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors for researchers new to the field, which will take place at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco from 18-29 November 2024.

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IAEA Initiative to Streamline SMR Deployment Moving to Implementation Phase

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Dozens of countries also gave their thoughts on NHSI’s progress so far and plans for the future. There was widespread agreement on the value of the work done in the first phase, and the direction planned for the second phase, with many topics raised for ongoing consideration. 

Christer Viktorsson, Director General, Federal Authority For Nuclear Regulation (FANR), United Arab Emirates said: “It is clear this initiative is having an effect, it is already creating momentum for working towards harmonization and standardization. It’s clear that Phase II should focus on the implementation of projects from Phase I.” 

Paul Fyfe from the United Kingdom’s Office For Nuclear Regulation (ONR) agreed: “Cooperation and collaboration between industry and regulators is key. The UK strongly supports Phase II. There’s a real need for this work to be done.” 

Marcus Nichol Executive Director for New Nuclear from the United States’ Nuclear Energy Institute agreed: “We share your visions that you articulated for both the industry track and to facilitate the regulatory frameworks and reduce unnecessary design changes, so we appreciate that. All of the proposals for Phase II are on the right track, all of those areas will be valuable.” 

Representatives from regulators and industry spoke on a range of other questions relating to safeguards; safety and security issues; information sharing with newcomer countries; confidentiality; avoiding duplication of work; collaboration between regulators, designers and operators; choosing the best priorities; and ensuring technical experts are consulted. 

NHSI is now moving to the next phase, which will be to implement many of the recommendations the working groups have come up with.  

Phase II will also focus on providing tools to help understand regulatory commonalities and differences better, it will examine technology-specific user requirements and explore what is needed to facilitate the approval of what is known as long-lead items. 

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Guatemala Prioritizes Capacity Building, Palliative Care and Strengthening Cancer Registry Following Cancer Control Review

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

A laboratory technician analysing samples at the Totonicapan Hospital. (Photo: M. Nobile/IAEA) 

Guatemala is setting new priorities for cancer control following a thorough review of its cancer care capacities and needs during an imPACT Review mission to the country. A team of nine international experts appointed by the IAEA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was on the ground in June 2024 to evaluate progress since the previous imPACT Review in 2010. The team also provided tailored and updated recommendations to the Ministry of Health on priority actions for cancer control.

“The recent imPACT Review mission was an opportunity to thoroughly review and assess the quality of all cancer prevention and control services in the country,” said Silvia Palma, focal point for the imPACT Review at the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Guatemala. “By setting priorities for human resource capacity building, strengthening the cancer registry and financing palliative care, Guatemala is taking a targeted, evidence-driven approach for more impactful cancer control,” she added.

Close to 18 000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in Guatemala, with numbers expected to substantially increase by 2045 (Globocan 2022). For women, cancers of the breast and cervix account for 40 per cent of all newly diagnosed cases. For this reason, prevention and early detection of these types of cancer in were high on the agenda during the visit.

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Open Dialogue Key to Local Support in Nuclear Projects

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Open dialogue is key to earning the support of local communities to host nuclear power projects, ranging from power reactors to research laboratories and deep geological repositories for spent fuel, a side event at the IAEA’s General Conference heard.  

“Host communities are a key protagonist in the nuclear story,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who delivered opening remarks at the event. “We want to highlight their role in energy transitions and the strong support for the facilities they host. We need even broader local backing – the world needs more ‘yes in my backyard’ for nuclear to thrive.” 

The IAEA will also host the first International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes from 26 to 30 May 2025 at its headquarters in Vienna. The conference will bring together a wide range of participants including policymakers, regulators, communication experts, technical support organizations, waste management organizations, community representatives, industry leaders, academic researchers, NGOs and international organizations.  

At the General Conference side event speakers from Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Japan and the United States of America considered the challenges and opportunities presented to nuclear facility host communities and highlighted success stories and lessons learned. Participants heard how the success of large infrastructure projects typically relies on social licence and nuclear power projects are no exception. Open dialogue among all stakeholders is vital, especially with host communities, and can help keep projects on time and budget while addressing local concerns.  

The recording of the event can be viewed here. 

Panellists provided examples illustrating how proactive, cooperative engagement between community members, government bodies and implementing organizations led to positive outcomes and laid the foundation for long-term success.  

The town of Ignace in Canada recently confirmed its willingness to host a deep geological repository (DGR) for Canada’s spent nuclear fuel. This expression of interest came after a long process emphasizing dialogue and providing resources for the community to learn what hosting a repository would involve. 

“In 2010, our mayor and council brought Ignace forth as one of 22 communities potentially interested in a DGR. We want our community to prosper and thrive, but we also had some concerns about safety, and it was clear that Ignace wanted to have a strong voice in the process,” said Chantal Moore, a resident committee member in Ignace’s Willingness Ad Hoc Committee, which was established to determine residents’ willingness to move forward with hosting. Canada’s National Waste Management Organization (NWMO) and the municipality worked with the community to provide information about what the project would entail and a local committee was established to engage the community in learning about the process. 

“After 14 years, we are one of the two communities in Canada being considered for a DGR, and 77% of the community members who participated in the voting process has voted in favour of the project.” 

Ongoing discussions with NWMO have been an important component of successful engagement. “We have a large geography, very good geology. And it was key for this to be a voluntary process,” said Isaac Werner, Senior Advisor for Government Relations at NWMO. “We have very clearly stated that we will not move forward with our project without willing and informed host communities. We plan to announce our preferred location by the end of this year.”  

Mayor Rebecca Casper of Idaho Falls, the city which hosts the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL), said local engagement is essential. INL is a major nuclear energy research laboratory that has hosted numerous demonstration reactors and is set to act as the testing ground for several advanced reactors in the near future. “Mayors tend to consider themselves partners,” Casper said. “Unlike the many other players who will be a part of a project, only the local community will be around for the entire 100 year relationship.”  

Host communities and nuclear operators often share a common goal and work together to achieve it, explained Csaba Dohoczki, Vice President of the Group of European Municipalities with Nuclear Facilities. “In Hungary, for example, municipalities across the river from the Paks Nuclear Power Plant identified the need to have easier access to the site. They worked together with the operator and government, and opened a bridge last March, connecting the two sides of the river and providing more access to jobs for the community and a larger offer of services to the operator and the new nuclear project Paks II.” 

Disruption caused by construction is often one of the top concerns of the host communities, as well as the challenge of developing the community infrastructure fast enough to meet the needs of a growing economy. “Zarate municipality and its town of Lima are proud to host nuclear power reactors,” said Marcelo Matzkin, Mayor of Zarate municipality in Argentina, site of Atucha nuclear power plant and a small modular reactor under construction. “Lima grew together with the nuclear projects – it used to be a town, now it is a city. The nuclear power plant brought jobs, good salaries and new shops, but the challenge is to provide adequate infrastructure to this growing city and we are working with the operator of the plant to find solutions.”  

Masahiro Sakurai, Mayor of Kashiwazaki, home to Japan’s largest nuclear power plant, added: “There are many positive sides of hosting nuclear power plant, such as supporting the country’s economic growth and local employment. However, sometimes there are divisions within the community in terms of support and this has to be discussed. While safety reviews are crucial for the restart of reactors that were shut down after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, it is the local community that must consent to the restart.”  

The relationship between the national government and municipalities with nuclear facilities extends beyond nuclear operation. “Our priority is to have a regular dialogue with the municipalities and provide various forms of support tailored to their needs,” said Masahiro Yagi, Special Research Officer in the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. “For example, after the shutdown of nuclear power plants, we supported the diversification of the industrial structure in Hokkaido through using locally grown rice to produce high-value bioplastics, in order to increase the impact of agriculture and the number of people involved in agriculture,” he added. 

A community’s reaction to the idea of hosting a nuclear facility often depends on the type of facility. “The local communities are proud of our nuclear power plants, but if we go the other way in terms of establishing a DGR, there could be a lot of opposition,” said German Guido Lavalle, President of Argentina’s National Atomic Energy Commission. “There are different local communities, but in the end, there is a common concept that you have to engage, you have to discuss. Talking with the community about all kinds of nuclear facilities is very important.” 

More information on International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes registration and participation is available here. 

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New IAEA Report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power Focuses on Financing

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The 2024 edition of the IAEA’s Climate Change and Nuclear Power report has been released, highlighting the need for a significant increase in investment to achieve goals for expanding nuclear power. The new report was launched last week on the margins of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) in Brazil. 

Nuclear power is enjoying increasing interest around the world as countries seek to strengthen energy security and decarbonize their economies. A rapid expansion of clean energy technologies is required to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and nuclear power is expected to play a key role, with the IAEA projecting a capacity increase of 2.5 times the current level by mid-century in its high case scenario. 

According to the report, global investment in nuclear energy must increase to 125 billion USD annually, up from the around 50 billion USD invested each year from 2017-2023, to meet the IAEA’s high case projection for nuclear capacity in 2050. The more aspirational goal of tripling of capacity, which more than 20 countries pledged to work towards at COP28 last year, would require upwards of USD 150 billion in annual investment. 

“Across its near century-long lifetime, a nuclear power plant is affordable and cost competitive. Financing the upfront costs can be a challenge however, especially in market driven economies and developing countries,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “The private sector will increasingly need to contribute to financing, but so too will other institutions. The IAEA is engaging multilateral development banks to highlight their potential role in making sure that developing countries have more and better financing options when it comes to investing in nuclear energy.” 

The new report also examines ways to unlock private sector finance, a topic that is gaining increasing attention worldwide. Last month, 14 major financial institutions including some of the world’s largest banks came together during a New York Climate Week event to signal a willingness to help finance nuclear newbuild projects. 

The report was presented at a side event jointly organized by the Agency and the CEM’s Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future (NICE) initiative on the margins of the 15th CEM in Brazil. The CEM is a high-level global forum that promotes policies and programmes to advance clean energy technology, and share lessons learned and best practices. 

“The CEM is bringing together key stakeholders to discuss concrete steps to make clean energy—including nuclear power—affordable, attractive and accessible for all and accelerate clean energy transitions around the world,” said Jean-Francois Garnier, Head of the CEM Secretariat. “Financing the necessary expansion of nuclear power to help integrate other sources of clean electricity is key to this success and I am happy to see the IAEA and CEM/NICE Future partnering to launch this report which highlights some innovative approaches to attract investments from both the public and private sectors.” 

The side event featured speakers from Brazil, the IAEA, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the United States of America sharing their thoughts on how best to secure capital for nuclear power projects and looking ahead to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where financing the clean energy transition is set to be a major topic of discussion. 

“IAEA energy system modelling and planning tools and publications are fundamental to decision-making processes for nuclear power plants,” said Giovani Machado, Advisor to the President of Brazil’s Energy Research Office (EPE). “IAEA publications on full cost analyses for electricity provision and financing of nuclear power plants were very useful to an EPE study on the Angra-3 nuclear power reactor for the National Energy Policy Council of Brazil.” 

Nuclear power’s inclusion in sustainable financing frameworks, including the European Union (EU) taxonomy for sustainable activities, is having a tangible impact. In the EU, the first green bonds have been issued for nuclear power in Finland and France in 2023. Electricité de France (EDF) was one of the first recipients, with the award of €4 billion in green bonds and around €7 billion in green loans between 2022 and 2024. 

To achieve climate change goals, global nuclear capacity needs to increase rapidly, increasing by a factor of 1.8 by 2035, said Sylvia Beyer, a Senior Energy Policy Analyst at the IEA. “Financing mechanisms that support scale, work force and supply chain development are going to be needed,” she added. 

The report makes the case for policy reform and international partnerships to help bridge the financing gap and accelerate nuclear power expansion into emerging markets and developing economies, including for small modular reactors. Robust regulatory frameworks, new delivery models, skilled labour development and stakeholder engagement can unlock new avenues for sustainable energy investments towards development goals. 

“Accelerating the transition process is a multifaceted challenge that needs to be addressed within the broader framework of energy transition plans,” said Celso Cunha, President of the Brazilian Association for the Development of Nuclear Activities.