Advanced-Nuclear-Reactor-SMR

  Asian Nuclear Safety Network

Project Duration: 3 years

​Introduction of Project:

As part of the efforts of the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN) to address regional challenges in nuclear safety, a project was proposed to focus on bridging the gaps between regulatory frameworks and the current status of small modular reactor (SMR) development and deployment in the region. This project aims not only to strengthen the technical capacity of Member States, particularly the regulatory bodies, in the area of safety infrastructure of advanced nuclear reactors, but also to promote regional collaboration and experience sharing, thereby supporting a more harmonized and robust approach to advanced reactor regulation across the region.

To support this goal, a Working Group (WG) was created with a subset of ANSN members, who were charged with identifying the most important and worthwhile needs for the ANSN Member States. The WG held its first meeting in July 2025 and proposed that hands-on exercises and workshops will be conducted on specific SMR-related topics. These activities will help ANSN Member States define practical strategies to close the identified gaps, drawing on IAEA-developed procedures as well as external expertise from subject matter experts.

The WG proposed the following topics for this Project: 

• Licensing aspects (including engagement with vendor, pre-licensing, applicability of regulatory requirements, lessons learned in regulating SMRs) related to:

• Siting
• Design (including passive and innovative features)
• Construction
  

Additional details on each of the proposed topics will be identified during subsequent WG meetings.​

Work Plan & Operational Mechanisms ​

1. The WG will plan one weeklong workshop/meeting on each of the three above topics, which will include both lecture and hands-on exercise portions. The workshops will be open to ANSN Member countries, in addition to invited experts.
1. Objective of the workshop will be to enhance ANSN capacity on the identified topics and develop the content for the final technical document
2. Ideally, the workshop should be hosted in a country participating in the WG, which will allow for broader in-person participation from host country.
3. Workshops may also include a virtual component, allowing for further participation from ANSN member organizations.
4. Workshops will be limited to approximately 30 participants, to ensure they remain manageable and worthwhile for all participants.
5. All participants will need official nomination per IAEA procedures.
2. The workshop/meeting will typically be split into two portions:
1. The workshop will typically last 4 days and be open to all participants.
2. A closed portion typically of 1 day will be dedicated to the WG to discuss the outcomes of the workshop, discuss progress and plan future activities. This closed portion will occur only when a majority of the WG members are present for the workshop.
3. The WG will hold follow up meetings to develop intermediate report on the outcomes of each workshop.
   
   

Action Plan / Steps

1. The WG will hold two in-person meetings per year:

• One meeting will be dedicated to the workshop/meeting, as noted above, with a portion set aside for a closed WG meeting.
• One meeting will be held in Vienna to develop the report on the outcomes of the workshop.

• The IAEA will interface with the hosting organization for workshop/meeting logistical planning.​
  

2. Specific plans for each year of the project are summarised below and will be updated as the work progresses:

• 2025
• July 2025 – WG kickoff meeting held in Vienna
• Sept/Oct 2025 - WG will hold a brief virtual meeting ~9 AM Vienna time to discuss the specific topics for the workshop. IAEA will organize the meeting in consultation with the WG Coordinator.
• Between the July 2025 kickoff and the Sept/Oct virtual meeting, WG participants will discuss possible topics for the first workshop with their colleagues at their own institutions and come prepared to discuss proposals at the virtual meeting.
  

• 2026
• Q2 2026 (TBD) – 1^st workshop – focused on Siting (proposed in Indonesia (TBD), final location based on participants' discussions with their home organization)
• Q3/Q4 2026 – WG meeting in Vienna
• Virtual meeting(s) held, as needed.
  

• 2027
• Q2 2027 - 2^nd workshop – focused on Design (potentially in Malaysia or Viet Nam – TBD)
• Q3/Q4 2027 - WG meeting in Vienna
• Virtual meeting(s) held, as needed.
  
  
• 2028
• 3^rd workshop – 2028 – focused on Construction (potentially in Philippines or South Korea – TBD)
• Q3/Q4 2028 – Final WG meeting to finalize technical document, in Vienna
• Virtual meeting(s) held, as needed.
  

Final Deliverable:

• As a final deliverable, a technical document will be developed, incorporating the key findings and discussions from the activities outlined below, in addition to the identification of future regional needs and potential areas for further collaboration.
  
  

Coordinator:

• The responsibility of the Coordinator is to chair working group meetings, lead discussions, facilitate collaboration among members, and serve as the main point of contact within members and with the IAEA technical officer to ensure the successful completion of the project.
• Ms Gan PEK YEN (ganpy@atom.gov.my) of Atom Malaysia agreed to serve as the Coordinator for this WG.
  
  

IAEA Support:

• Project Management Officer: Ms Seungyeon (Sonny) SON – s.son@iaea.org
• Technical Officer: Mr Brett Rini – b.rini@iaea.org

Communication Channels

• Communication will primarily be handled via the ANSN Collaboration space or via email as needed.

Implementation of the above plan may be subject to change depending on the financial resources.