WANO, NEA enhance cooperation in nuclear safety

The World Association of Nuclear Operators and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency are to cooperate on "the further development of approaches, practices and methods in order to proactively strengthen global nuclear safety" through a memorandum of understanding signed today at the NEA Headquarters in Paris. The signing ceremony was attended by WANO Chairman Jacques Régaldo and NEA Deputy Director-General and Chief Nuclear Officer Daniel Iracane.

The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) are to cooperate on "the further development of approaches, practices and methods in order to proactively strengthen global nuclear safety" through a memorandum of understanding signed today at the NEA Headquarters in Paris. The signing ceremony was attended by WANO Chairman Jacques Régaldo and NEA Deputy Director-General and Chief Nuclear Officer Daniel Iracane.

The signing of the MOU (Image: NEA)

The agreement, which concerns the safe operation of nuclear power plants and the human aspects of nuclear safety, will "facilitate information exchange between the stakeholders in NEA member countries and nuclear power plant operators, enhance the common understanding of nuclear safety culture challenges and support general efforts to further enhance nuclear safety worldwide", the two organisations said in a joint statement.

NEA Director-General William Magwood said global nuclear safety is "the responsibility of all stakeholders", including the public, governments, independent regulators and the industry. The signature of the MOU "constitutes a further step forward for the NEA to ensure that decision-makers in our member countries have access to relevant and comprehensive information derived from industry experiences", he said.

He added: "Interactions with the global industry sector through WANO would increase opportunities for NEA committees to share best practices with, and recommendations to the industry. It would, therefore, contribute to the successful accomplishment of the NEA mission to assist its membership in achieving excellence in nuclear safety."

WANO and the NEA have already identified safety culture as a "fundamental subject of common interest" and next year plan to launch a series of "country-specific discussions to explore the influence of national culture on the safety culture".

Régaldo said both WANO and the NEA "share common goals" regarding the safety and reliability of nuclear power worldwide, and their collaboration will bring mutual benefit for both organisations and their members.

WANO is a not-for-profit member association established in 1989 by the world's nuclear power operators to exchange safety knowledge and operating experience amongst organisations operating commercial nuclear power reactors. WANO members operate about 440 reactor units in more than 30 countries.

The NEA is an intergovernmental agency that facilitates cooperation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, related environmental and economic matters and law.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News