Operating experience programmes need to include experience from both national and international sources. Safety improvements identified through operating experience programmes need to be implemented promptly. The use of operating experience needs to be evaluated periodically and independently.

The operating experience evaluation programme at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP did not lead to design changes that took account of domestic or international experience involving flooding. The review of operating experience needs to be a standard part of plant oversight processes, with account taken of relevant sources such as the Incident Reporting System of the IAEA and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. Regulatory bodies need to perform independent reviews of national and international operating experience to confirm that operating organizations are taking concrete actions to improve safety.